Denmark just dropped a bombshell that has the global culture war exploding again: the government is pushing to extend the full-face veil ban into every classroom and university. No more hidden faces – ministers say it's time to liberate women from "honour culture" and outdated norms. But critics are screaming discrimination. Is this the brave defense of Western values... or a dangerous slide into intolerance?
In the latest escalation of Europe's battle over Islamic veils, the Danish government announced on December 17, 2025, that it will propose extending the country's existing public ban on burqas and niqabs to all educational institutions. The Local Denmark reports that the bill is set for parliament in February 2026.
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"No Place in a Danish Classroom"
Minister for Immigration and Integration Rasmus Stoklund didn't hold back: “Burqas, niqabs, or other clothing that hides people’s faces have no place in a Danish classroom.” He insisted the existing 2018 public ban must logically cover schools too, sending a “very clear signal” to immigrant-background girls and women that Denmark supports their fight against oppressive traditions.
Liberal Party spokesperson Hans Andersen went even further, calling it “un-Danish” for women to sit completely covered while teachers can't see their faces. Supporters hail the move as essential for real integration – finally forcing Muslim immigrants to adapt to modern, open society instead of importing parallel cultures.
The Other Side Fires Back
Human rights groups and religious organizations are furious, branding the proposal discriminatory and a direct assault on religious freedom and women's choice. They argue it unfairly targets Muslim women while ignoring the bigger picture of personal liberty.
Yet with crime, parallel societies, and cultural clashes rising in immigrant-heavy areas, many Danes are cheering this hard-line stance. After years of "tolerance" that critics say enabled segregation, the government is finally drawing a line.
Europe's Culture War Heats Up
This isn't isolated – just days ago on December 11, Austria passed a headscarf ban in schools for girls under 14. From France's abaya crackdown to bans across the continent, Western Europe is pushing back hard against visible symbols of strict Islam. Is the tide finally turning?
AFP reports: The Danish government said Wednesday that it is proposing to extend the country’s ban on full-face veils in public places to schools and universities.
“Burqas, niqabs, or other clothing that hides people’s faces have no place in a Danish classroom,” Minister for Immigration and Integration Rasmus Stoklund said in a statement.
“There is already a ban on face coverings in public spaces, and this should of course also apply in educational institutions,” he added.
In August 2018, Denmark banned the wearing full-face Islamic veils like the burqa and niqab in public places, with offenders subject to a fine.
Human rights campaigners and religious groups have criticised the ban as discriminatory and as a violation of both freedom of religion and women’s freedom of choice.
Supporters conversely argue it enables Muslims of immigrant backgrounds to better integrate into Danish society.
“With this bill, we are sending a very clear signal to girls and women from immigrant backgrounds in particular that we support them in their fight against honour culture and outdated norms,” Stoklund said.
Hans Andersen, spokesperson for the Liberal Party (Venstre), argued that “it is un-Danish for girls and women to sit completely covered in classrooms where the teacher cannot see the faces of those they are teaching.”
The bill is scheduled to be presented to parliament in February 2026.
On December 11, Austria’s parliament adopted a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under 14.