Portugal enacts law prohibiting full-face veils in public spaces

Portugal’s president, Antonio Jose Seguro, signed a bill that forbids the use of clothing intended to obscure the face in public areas, a rule widely interpreted as aimed at Muslim women who wear full-face veils. The parliament approved the text in July, with votes from the governing right-wing coalition and far-right legislators, while left-wing parties opposed it. The law also bans any coercion that compels a person to cover their face based on gender, religion, age or origin.

Penalties range from 150 to 3,000 euros, though exemptions apply for health, professional, artistic, weather-related reasons, as well as inside places of worship, diplomatic missions and on airplanes. Critics say the ban undermines women’s rights by dictating attire, whereas officials stress the importance of facial visibility for identity and communication. Seguro acknowledged the measure’s delicate social and cultural implications.