German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for a burka ban inGermany, saying the wearing of full-faced veils should be prohibited in the country “wherever it is legally possible”.
Addressing her Christians Democrat party (CDU)’s annual conference, she backed a burka ban in schools, courts and other state buildings.
In German culture, she said, it was not appropriate for women to completely cover their faces.
“The full veil must be banned, wherever legally possible. Showing your face is part of our way of life,” she said.
“Our laws take precedence over honour codes, tribal customs and sharia.”
It is widely accepted that a total ban would violate Germany’s Constitution.
In France the full-face veil has been banned in all public places since 2010.
Merkel was re-elected Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader last week with 89.5% of the votes cast by about 1,000 delegates as she launched her bid to win a historic fourth term as chancellor.
However, she faces a tough challenge by the right-wing anti-immigration AfD party in next year’s elections.
She has seen her approval ratings slip since her decision to allow about a million asylum seekers into Germany during last year’s Europe-wide migrant crisis.
The fact that over 10% of the party voted against her re-election was a sign of discontent behind the united front. Two years ago, she won with 96.7%, and in 2012, with 97.9%.
The centre-right chancellor, who has been in power since 2005, pledged never to repeat her “open-door” refugee policy of 2015.
“We have said again and again, a situation like the late summer of 2015 cannot and will not be repeated,” she said.
She vowed that not all of the over 1m migrants who took refuge in the country last year would be allowed to stay, and that those who are will have to integrate into German society.
She promised to defend the European Union and warned that Britain would not be allowed to “cherrypick” in Brexit negotiations, and condemned the West’s failure to prevent the violence and suffering in Aleppo as a “disgrace”.
