Switzerland voters agree to outlaw facial covering

Geneva, Mar 08: Swiss voters backed a ban on full face coverings in public places. The decision was hailed by supporters as a move against radical Islam.

The proposal was backed by 51.21 per cent voters and a majority of federal Switzerland's cantons. Some 1,426,992 voters were in favour of the ban, while 1,359,621 were against, on a 50.8 percent turnout.

The anti-burqa vote comes years after debate following similar bans in other European countries. There were campaign posters featuring a woman in black niqab plastered all over Switzerland. However there were rival posters too which spoke out against an absurd and useless anti-burqa law.

The ban would mean that nobody could cover their face completely in public. However there would be exceptions at places of worship, or for health and safety reasons.