BERLIN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Christian Social Union (CSU) secretary general Andreas Scheuer on Monday called for outlawing the wearing of burqas and other face veils in Germany.
Citing similar legislation recently enacted in neighboring Austria, Scheuer told the newspaper Passauer Neue Presse that a ban was "possible and necessary."
Under a German law passed by the federal parliament (Bundestag) in April, civil servants and soldiers can no longer wear face veils in official functions. Furthermore, all identification cards must show their holders full facial features in order for authorities to be able to clearly determine their identity.
Scheuer described this existing partial ban as insufficient and urged for its expansion in line with what had already occurred in other European countries.
As of Oct. 1, Austrians face fines up to 150 euros (176.2 U.S. dollars) for wearing items which conceal their faces, including religious clothing such as burqas and niqabs, but also respiratory masks. The law has been officially justified with security concerns, as well as preventing the oppression of Muslim women.
Scheuer views Austria as a role model for Berlin to follow in this regard. "We will not give up our identity and are willing to fight for it. The burqa does not belong in Germany," he said.
However, CSU interior speaker Stephan Mayer raised questions over the feasibility of imposing a stricter regime in Germany which did not fall foul of the country's constitution.
"With regards to the burqa ban, Germany had already passed a law a few months ago which banned full facial veils whenever citizens appeared before federal officials or courts," Mayer said. He noted that the federal government was not endowed with the regulatory responsibility to go any further.
Mayer's concerns were echoed by Christian Democratic Union (CDU) interior expert Stephan Harbarth. The partial ban which was passed in April was already at the limits of what was "constitutionally possible" Harbarth said.
Nevertheless, Harbarth added that burqa and niqab "clearly contradicted" German values and did not belong in the country in his opinion.
