The recent Bill prohibiting the hiding of the face in public spaces has been almost exclusively debated from the perspective of the burqa and the niqab. This channeling of the debate, although understandable, is a propagandistic act that obscures the true scope of the measure.
The ban is much broader, touching on public security issues that go far beyond cultural dilemmas. The burqa is the ideological ‘casus bell’, but the Bill aims to ensure everyone’s safety.
Despite having been presented by a populist right-wing political force, the intrinsic merit of the diploma justified its reception and approval in general by parties from the center to the right. This transversality underlines the validity of the initiative, although it is noted that the majority of parties on the left voted against it, more motivated by the political demarcation vis-à-vis the proponent than by the security substance of the Bill. The ban on the burqa and niqab is not an act of intolerance, but an affirmation of the values that sustain our civilization: the dignity of the person, equality between the sexes and individual freedom. These costumes, far from being symbols of faith, represent the woman’s submission and the annulment of her identity.
According to moderate Islamic authorities, such as the imam of the Lisbon Central Mosque, the use of the burqa and niqab is not a religious obligation, but a cultural and political construction, often used to control and silence women.
In this context, the ban on these costumes must be understood as a measure to combat gender-based violence. Just as we reject female genital mutilation or sexual violence, we must reject forms of dress that, under the guise of tradition, perpetuate oppression. Freedom of choice cannot be invoked when that choice is conditioned by family or religious coercion.
Public security constitutes the effective basis of this diploma. Total concealment of the face compromises the identification of individuals in public spaces, which can be exploited for illicit purposes.
Portugal, with this step, aligns itself with almost 40 countries in the world – including European nations such as France, Belgium and Muslim-majority states such as Morocco and Tunisia -, which have recognized the visible face as a security imperative. The Bill acts as a crucial crime prevention tool, going beyond the cultural debate. It is a legal response to entering establishments with a hidden face (robberies with helmets), and a pressing need to combat violence at demonstrations, where individuals wearing balaclavas seek to annul their identification. The law aims to ensure order and accountability for perpetrators.
We live in a secular society, but rooted in an ethical matrix that values the inviolability of the human person. It is based on these values that we reject practices that undermine freedom and equality, even when justified by religious arguments.
Accepting the burqa in the name of cultural relativism is accepting the perpetuation of inequality and submission. True tolerance does not consist in turning a blind eye to oppression, but in having the courage to say no to everything that denies a person’s dignity. The ban on concealing one’s face is, therefore, a necessary step to affirm the values that unite us as a free and fair society, and to reinforce the safety of all citizens in the face of crime.
Strategy, Security and Defense Analyst
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