Overview

• Aliança Catalana's motion to ban all Islamic veils in public spaces and schools failed to secure majority support in the Catalan Parliament despite backing from PPC and Vox.
• Junts has introduced its own proposal to prohibit burkas and niqabs in public spaces and restrict veils for minors in educational and cultural settings, citing gender equality and security concerns.
• The Catalan Education Minister reaffirmed that neither municipalities nor the Parliament have the authority to regulate religious freedom, emphasizing that full-face veils are already restricted in schools.
• The 2013 Spanish Supreme Court ruling invalidating municipal bans on burkas and niqabs underscores the legal challenges Junts' proposal is likely to face.
• Educators and advocacy groups warn that banning veils in schools could lead to increased segregation, absenteeism, and stigmatization of Muslim students, questioning the social impact of such measures.