French Prime Minister Says Burqa “Not Welcome”

At a rare appearance before Parliament French President Nicholas Sarkozy expressed solidarity with legislators hoping to create a commission to study what they believe is a growing trend of women wearing burqas in France. He explained, "The burqa is not a religious sign, it's a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement - I want to say it solemnly. It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic...In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity."  In 2004, France passed a law banning the wearing of religious attire in public schools. Last year, a woman was denied French citizenship in part because her burqa was seen to be incompatible with French culture. In this case, legislators are proposing a ban prohibiting women from wearing a burqa outside of their home. Immigration Minister, Eric Besson, argues that such a law will not help integration.