‘Integration contracts’ for asylum-seekers
The announcement was met with a backlash from Islamic groups and Austrian Muslims, who slammed the plan as discriminatory.
“It is saddening. This is a setback for Austria, for our democracy and for our understanding of diversity,” said Amani Abu Zahra from the Islamic religion department at the University for Teacher Education of Christian Churches.
Tarafa Baghajati, chair of the Austrian Muslim Initiative, said that while he didn’t necessarily agree with the full-face veil, he considered an outright ban “counterproductive.”
Baghajati said he found the “de facto headscarf ban” on civil servants more problematic.
“This is state-run discrimination against Muslim women that violates the constitution and anti-discrimination laws,” he said.
The government will also try to force asylum-seekers and some migrants to sign an “integration contract and a declaration of values” and agree to “strict sanctions” if the contract is violated. It will seek to reinforce border controls, increase police presence and tighten asylum procedures.
The document is an 18-month plan that will take the government, led by Chancellor Christian Kern, up to the next elections, likely to be held in 2018.
The ruling parties are facing a rapid rise in popularity of the far-right, Euroskeptic Freedom Party, which has campaigned against what it sees as the Islamization of the country, calling for “zero migration” and a boost to border security.
France became the first European country to ban the full-face veil officially in 2010. Bans are also in place in Belgium and some parts of Switzerland, while other European countries have debated the issue.
Journalist Simone Egarter contributed to this report.
