BERLIN – A poll in Germany suggests that a large majority favours at least a partial ban on the face-covering veils used by some Muslim women.
Security officials from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc last week proposed a ban on wearing the burqa and other face-covering veils in public schools, courts, while driving and in some other situations. However, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere opposes a blanket ban on wearing such veils in public, pointing to constitutional problems.
A survey of 1,008 people by the Infratest dimap agency for ARD television, released Friday, found that 51 per centfavoured a blanket ban and 30 per cent a partial ban. It found that 15 per cent opposed any ban.
The telephone poll conducted Tuesday and Wednesday gave a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
