Afghan clothing

Switzerland will ban the wearing in public of burqas, the full-body covering worn by some Muslim women, and other full-face coverings, after a referendum showed a narrow majority in favour of it.

According to the final count on Sunday evening, 51.21 per cent of voters were in favour of the ban.

A law was enacted today in Austria forbidding the wearing of clothing and accessories covering the face, said Associated Press.

Australian anti-immigration far-right politician Pauline Hanson caused a furore on Aug. 17 when she entered the Senate wearing a full burqa, earning a blistering rebuke from the country's top lawyer for the "appalling" stunt.

The mayor of Hungary's Asotthalom has announced that the village has adopted measures to defend its community and traditions.

These include banning "construction of mosques and the activity of muezzins, as well as the use of veils and headscarves like burqas, chadors and burkinis worn by Muslim women," AP reported on Friday.

The Dutch cabinet has approved a proposal for a partial ban on Islamic veils in public areas such as schools and hospitals as well as on public transportation. This ban will make it the third country in Europe to prohibit the burqa.

Bulgarian MPs on Friday banned the wearing of veils that cover the face - a bill proposed earlier this year by the nationalistic coalition, Patriotic Front. The  so-called "burqa ban" was passed on a second reading with overwhelming support.

A ban on the use of veils covering most of the face is also to be considered in Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second largest city.

A proposal has been submitted by municipal councilors from the nationalist Patriotic Front coalition, Darik Radio reports citing Aleksandar Sidi from VMRO, which is one of PF's two main parties.

The southern Bulgarian town Pazardjik has become the first in Bulgaria to introduce a total ban on wearing the face-cover known as the burqa in public.

The changes to the municipal regulation on public order banning the burqa, proposed by counsellors from the nationalist National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria, were backed by 39 of 41 members of the municipal council.

Pazardzhik became the first Bulgarian city to ban the wearing of veils covering the face in public places, BNR public radio broadcaster reported on Wednesday.

The city parliament approved the ban in a 39-2 vote with no abstentions, according to BNR.

Bulgaria's Patriotic Front proposed to Parliament on Wednesday to ban the wearing in public places of burqas, or head veils hiding the face, citing potential threats to national security.

If approved, the proposed new article in the Penal Code would ban the wearing of any apparel that hides the face of a person entirely or in part.