Austria's Controversial School Headscarf Ban Sparks Constitutional Debate

Austria's parliament has passed a ban on Muslim headscarves for girls under 14 in schools, despite possible constitutional challenges. The ban, supported by a coalition of centrist parties and the far-right Freedom Party, faces opposition from the Greens and criticism from rights groups like Amnesty International.

Austria's lower house of parliament recently passed a controversial ban on Muslim headscarves for girls under 14 years old in schools, amidst questions about its constitutionality. The legislation, backed by a coalition of centrist parties and the far-right Freedom Party, has stirred significant debate and criticism.

The ruling coalition argues that the ban aims to protect young girls, yet it faces strong opposition from the Greens, the smallest parliamentary party, who assert that it violates the constitution. Rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have criticized the move as potentially fostering a racist climate against Muslims in Austria.

Defending the ban, Yannick Shetty of the liberal Neos party and Klaudia Plakolm of the conservative People's Party, claim that headscarves symbolize oppression and sexualize minors. However, the Austrian Constitutional Court previously ruled a similar ban unconstitutional, requiring the government to conduct further studies to justify the current proposal.

(With inputs from agencies.)