Nicolas Sarkozy last night threw his weight behind moves to ban the full Islamic veil in France, calling for an “unambiguous” parliamentary resolution against an item of clothing he said was “not welcome” in a country which valued sexual equality.
The president, who had shied away from speaking on the issue recently, used his new year’s speech to express his desire for a move against face-covering veils.
But, perhaps to dampen down accusations of stoking anti-Muslim feeling, Sarkozy said any law should avoid stigmatising any sections of society.
Full story: Full veil not welcome in France Says Sarkozy