“The hijab ban would reinforce the impartiality, equality and universality of public service within the Union, send a strong signal of support to empower all females currently living under Islamic oppression and ensure that the European Parliament serves as a neutral example for member states, civil society and other international organisations,” reads the letter, obtained by POLITICO.
“From a practical perspective, garments covering the head and neck complicate security screening and identification, adding operational risks that are absent when smaller religious symbols are worn discreetly,” the letter says.
Other lawmakers are less than impressed with the idea.
“This proposal is nothing more than an Islamophobic distraction,” said Martin Schirdewan, co-chair of The Left. “Instead of tackling the real challenges facing Europeans: rising inequality, climate breakdown, housing insecurity, and the erosion of workers’ rights, far-right politicians are targeting Muslim women’s clothing to stoke fear and division.”
Hana Jalloul Muro, an MEP for the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, said she was “shocked” by the proposal, criticizing the letter for “attacking women workers, filled with hatred, sexism, and Islamophobia.
“It is a shame to witness an assault on freedom of religion, a universal right, within the European institutions,” she added. “We are here to set an example — this is definitely not the Europe of values.”