Overview

• On June 5, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced plans to prohibit niqabs in Danish schools and universities.
• She cited concerns over “Muslim social control” and the oppression of women as justification for widening the 2018 public face-covering ban to educational settings.
• The government will discourage prayer rooms on campuses through ministerial guidance rather than enacting formal legislation.
• Critics warn the measures unfairly single out Muslim women and infringe on religious freedom and personal choice.
• Similar debates are unfolding in France, where the Senate approved a ban on religious symbols in sports and Gabriel Attal has proposed restricting veils for minors.