Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
French lawmakers debate Muslim veil ban
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
French lawmakers debate Muslim veil ban
AFP - 15 minutes ago
Send
IM Story
Print
French lawmakers debate Muslim veil ban
PARIS (AFP) - – The French parliament on Tuesday began debating a ban on the full Islamic veil that is all but certain to be adopted despite fears of renewed tensions in the country with Europe's biggest Muslim minority.
Security was tightened at the parliament building in central Paris ahead of the debate, with guards using sniffer dogs as they secured the main assembly hall, nearby meeting rooms, rooftop and hallways.
Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie told deputies that wearing a face-covering veil "amounted to being cut off from society and rejecting the very spirit of the French republic that is founded on a desire to live together."
"At a time where our societies are becoming more global and complex, the French people are pondering the future of their nation. Our responsibility is to show vigilance and reaffirm our commonly-shared values," she said.
Debate on the Muslim face coverings, also known as the burqa or the niqab, has raged in France for a year, with President Nicolas Sarkozy describing them as degrading to women.
Critics however see the bill as a political ploy to pander to far-right voters by taking aim at a tiny minority of Muslim women -- about 1,900, according to the interior ministry -- who wear the full veil.
Under the bill, it would be illegal in France for anyone to cover their faces in public places like streets, parks, public transport or shops, imposing fines of 150 euros (190 dollars) on those caught wearing the veil.
Men who force their wives or daughters to cover themselves face stiffer penalties of up to 30,000 euros and a one-year jail term.
Opposition Socialists have long argued that the ban should be restricted to state institutions, echoing the view of the State Council high administrative body which has said a blanket ban risks being struck down as unconstitutional.
Opening the three-day debate at the National Assembly, the justice minister said a partial ban as advocated by the Socialists would be "legally incoherent and difficult to enforce from a practical point of view.
"How could we convince the French people that freedom, equality and respect for the dignity of women begins in the train station but stops at the exit?" she said.
The National Assembly will vote on the bill on July 13 following debate this week and the draft will then go to the Senate for final approval in September.
Only three deputies from the Green Party have said they will oppose the bill, while the Socialists decided to boycott the vote in protest at the sweeping ban that will apply to all public places.
Similar laws are pending in Belgium and Spain, but the ban is particularly sensitive in France, home to Europe's biggest Muslim minority.
Muslim leaders fear it will stoke tensions by stigmatising France's estimated five to six million Muslims, many of whom live in volatile city suburbs.
Mohammed Moussaoui, the head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith, a government advisory body, has repeatedly said that while he supports steps to discourage women from wearing the full veil, a law would send the wrong message.
"Rather than enacting a law barring women from expressing their malaise, we should think about what prompted them to want to cover themselves," Moussaoui told lawmakers at a meeting in May.
To avoid tensions, the law would give police leeway to waive penalties and instead order offenders to enrol in a "citizenship course" to better understand French secularism.
No penalties will be applied in the first six months after its adoption.
French politicians have said the law will also apply to tourists from the Middle East and the Gulf who are often seen fully veiled in luxury shops on the Paris boulevards.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
French lawmakers debate Muslim veil ban AFP - 15 minutes ago
Obama hopes for direct Mideast peace talks by September AFP - 30 minutes ago
UK-World Summary Reuters - 33 minutes ago
Six killed, 37 wounded in Iraq pilgrimage attacks Reuters - 33 minutes ago
Sarkozy caught up in L'Oreal heiress cash scandal AFP - 1 hour 7 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
BP chief executive 'on visits to important partners'
Ryanair, Aer Lingus lose appeals in takeover battle
Pamplona bans vuvuzelas ahead of bull run festival
Lauvergeon stays in power at nuclear group Areva
Sarkozy facing crisis over campaign donations
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Reclusive top mathematician turns down prize, again
Argentina claims victory on bond deal
Paris Hilton arrested after Brazil World Cup match: reports
Japanese probe yields insights into Moon's inner life
Clinton vows support for Georgia, slams Russian 'occupation'
More Most Viewed »
Reclusive top mathematician turns down prize, again
Aussie men shoot each other in buttocks 'to see if it hurts'
Amputee cat gets bionic legs
Fans gather for Michael Jackson death anniversary
Who's right - the dolphin or the octopus?
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Wednesday, 7 July 2010 Obama, Israel's Netanyahu hold fence-mending talks
BP chief executive 'on visits to important partners'
US soldier charged over leak of Iraq shootings video
Sarkozy caught up in L'Oreal heiress cash scandal
U.S. soldier held in leaked video case is charged
Putin unveils new drive to end Caucasus extremism
Israel army not amused as troops dance on patrol
Thousands attend funeral of Lebanon ayatollah
Sarkozy denies illegal party funding report
|
French lawmakers debate Muslim veil ban
Pamplona bans vuvuzelas ahead of bull run festival
Philippine Supreme Court gets on Facebook, Twitter
UK to hand violent Afghan district to U.S. troops
|
Six killed and 37 wounded in Iraq pilgrimage attack
|
Computer chip sales up sharply in May over a year ago
Turkey says PKK attacks may harm ties with Iraq and U.S.
|
Japan's Renesas to buy Nokia wireless modem operations
Russia criticizes new U.S. missile defence plans
|
UK to probe accusations of complicity in torture
|
US urges China to free geologist 'immediately'
Japan's Renesas to buy Nokia wireless modem operations
Protests at UN office in Sri Lanka over war crimes panel
Russia criticises new U.S. missile defence plans
China objects to US unilateral sanctions on Iran
At least 10,000 die for lack of cancer screens in U.S.
Britain outlines secret service torture probe
Push for 'AusVegas' on the Great Barrier Reef
Pakistani troops kill 23 militants
UN studies options for N.Korea censure: report
Five murdered in revenge attack in China
LeBron James finally decides ... to join Twitter
|
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
India's Bharti Airtel plans heavy investment in Nigeria
Lindsay Lohan missed 9 alcohol classes and risks jail
IMF raises South Korea growth forecast
Canadian rockers Arcade Fire maintain DIY mystique
French architect Nouvel unveils red pavilion in London
Tiger 'rescue plan' to be drafted in Indonesia
India debates foreign investment in retail sector
'MacKillop the Musical' for Aussie saint-to-be
India to pump $1 bln into Mozambique: govt
Indonesian cleric Bashir back on police radar: analyst
Lebanese red-carpet pleasers in Paris couture week
Anger as Jennifer Lopez set to rock north Cyprus
Hotels in France embrace the virtues of going green
Sony to introduce new PlayStation3 with bigger memory
Run on German coach's 'lucky' World Cup sweater
Lindsay Lohan missed 9 alcohol classes and risks jail
|
Italian opera singer Cesare Siepi dies at 87
|
Britain to hand over violent Afghan area to US
BP agrees to inform US ahead of transactions
US-TECH Summary
French court to deliver verdict in Noriega trial
Canadian guilty of breaking U.N. sanction on Iran
Borders launches e-bookstore
Six killed, 37 wounded in Iraq pilgrimage attacks
Solar plane sets out on historic flight
Nuclear talks can resume from Sept 1 if conditions met: Iran
Google: still waiting for China licence decision
Japan PM's party seen far short of election goal
|
Borders launches e-bookstore and new smartphone apps
During World Cup half-time, Queen Elizabeth at U.N.
|
Google's China webpage license under review: government
Deadly traffic accident at North Korea complex: report
|
Sony slashes Reader price in war with Kindle and Nook
Venezuela to send terrorism suspect to Cuba-Chavez
|
Indonesia detains 66 Australia-bound migrants
Netflix signs movie deal with Relativity Media
From A-list to jail for wild child Lindsay Lohan
Japan gives anti-whaling activist suspended jail term
'King' James joins Twitter
Russian conductor charged with raping boy in Thailand
Obama hopes for direct Mideast peace talks by September
10 million on Facebook for Obama but Lady Gaga there first
China executes official at heart of graft trials
US-TECH Summary
Guns belonging to Israel PM's security detail 'missing'
Australian PM rocked as defence minister quits
Sony slashes Reader price in war with Kindle and Nook
Iran summons Swiss envoy over scientist 'abduction'
Japan police raid sumo stables over gambling scandal
Sri Lankans protest at UN for second day
Obama denies any Israel, US rift
China on heatwave alert as temperatures soar
Queen Elizabeth II calls for world peace at UN
Microsoft plans small job cuts: report
|
Japan PM's party seen far short of election goal
Borders launches e-bookstore
|
The Queen addresses U.N. during World Cup half-time
Suspended sentence in Japan for NZ whaling activist
Sony slashes Reader price in war with Kindle and Nook
|
Drug submarine seized in Ecuador
Google's China webpage license under review: government
|
Netflix signs movie deal with Relativity Media
|
Global Weather-Celsius
Britain outlines secret service torture probe
ICBC may raise 6.6 billion dollars in rights issue
Japan foreign population drops first time in years
Seoul shares decline; Samsung Elec falls
Pakistani c.bank buys 13.5 bln rupees of govt paper
China pumps billions into Canada's oil sands
Bangladesh sex workers plump up on cow steroids
PAKISTAN
Princess Diana's family sells Rubens work for 9 mln pounds
Ambani brothers' truce opens door to expansion
S.Korea traders reduce bets on rate freeze -survey
Distraught Lindsay Lohan sentenced to 90 days jail
|
"Cafe Noir" a Seoul-set elegy to lost romance
Samsung tips record Q2 operating profit
The Who hope to launch "Quadrophenia" tour in 2011
S.Korea bonds slip on rate decision caution
Doo-wop star, Motown executive Harvey Fuqua dies
|
Doobies go "Crazy" on first album in 10 years
The Who hope to launch Quadrophenia tour in 2011
|
"Haven" a town worth visiting, briefly
Marmaduke has dog groups prepping for dumped Danes
|
Lion with pearl centerpiece at Chanel fashion show
Doobies go Crazy on first album in 10 years
|
Italian opera singer Cesare Siepi dies at 87
Cafe Noir a Seoul-set elegy to lost romance
|
Haven a town worth visiting, briefly
|
German industry hit by sudden fall in orders
Iran says atom plant set for launch after final test
Russia seeks spy swap for agents in U.S: lawyer
|
UK inquiry finds emails do not undermine climate science
Low-key ceremony five years after London bombings
Israel trumpets new era in US ties after summit
Afghan soldiers killed by NATO 'friendly fire'
Israel prepared to take steps for peace talks: Netanyahu
|
Court hearing for Russians accused of spying in US
Amazon launches UK grocery Web site
NATO airstrike kills five Afghan soldiers
|
Celebrities Who Love The iPad
NATO airstrike accidentally kills 5 Afghan troops
Manuel Noriega sentenced to 7 years
|
British troops to withdraw from south Afghan area
Iran says sanctions might slow nuclear programme
|
French PM rules out early reshuffle over scandal
|
Iraq Shi'ite pilgrims defy bombs and security
|
U.N.-backed panel disqualifies Afghan poll candidates
|
3 US troops killed by roadside bomb in Afghanistan
Two Yemen protesters shot dead in Day of Rage
|
Russia's Muslim south triples sharia bride price
|
Dannii Minogue has first child
Ex-Arroyo aide may turn state witness: Philippines' Aquino
Israel trumpets new era in US ties after summit
Two die in gunfire at India-Pakistan border
Russian pianist faces Thai paedophile rape charge
Russia seeks spy swap to free agents in U.S.
Amazon launches UK grocery Web site
|
UK inquiry finds emails do not undermine climate science
|
Ridley Scott and YouTube prep for Life in a Day
|
Inside New York City's Fishy Black Market
Formosa shuts naphtha unit after fire, cracks hit
Bosses Behaving Badly
Pakistani rupee at record low vs dollar; stocks up
Ten Foods You Should Be Eating
Peugeot and China's Changan to sign joint venture
Solar plane sets out on historic flight
SCENARIOS-What's next for AIG's stalled Taiwan unit sale?
A Bollywood debut for Osama bin Laden
Asian markets cautious after negative US data
Japanese school grooms leaders with ancient values
Doo-wop star, Motown executive Harvey Fuqua dies
Peugeot Citroen reports historic sales jump
China: gold not key to foreign currency investment
Russian pianist accused of child rape in Thailand
Disney powers ahead with English schools in China
Ridley Scott and YouTube prep for Life in a Day
|
A Bollywood debut for Osama bin Laden
|
Greek Cypriots get loud over Lopez gig in north
|
Jaws aura still thrashing on Martha's Vineyard
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights