Increasing cooperation between Spain’s two main rightist parties means that a bill by far-right Vox to ban the burqa and niqab could be voted through this week, with suggested fines of €600 for women who wear the face coverings.
Parties on the Spanish right will this week vote together on a possible ban on burqas in the country, further evidence of a working relationship between the right and far-right as a general election looms in 2027.
Both the People’s Party (PP) and far-right Vox will vote in the Spanish Parliament in favour of banning the burqa and niqab in public spaces, reporting in Spanish daily El Mundo suggests.
The bill, an initiative put forward by Vox, will be debated on Tuesday. It appears likely it could pass as the right-wing Catalan separatist party Junts per Catalunya has expressed support for such a measure in the past.
READ ALSO: Spain’s far-right Vox rises in the polls at expense of centre-right
A PP spokesperson, Ester Muñoz, explained recently that the PP’s support for Vox’s proposal is an example of how the two parties must “focus” on the issues that “unite” them.
“This week we will see an example of understanding,” she said, adding that her party will take steps to ban the burqa in public spaces, as announced at its national congress in July and brought before regional parliaments such as the Balearic Islands.
The message from Muñoz was clear: that the PP is increasingly willing to cooperate with Vox, especially as Spain is scheduled for a general election by 2027, stressing that “Spaniards deserve another government and the PP and Vox have to come to an understanding.”
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Polling data suggest that the two right-wing parties would win a governable majority and end the Socialist-lead Sánchez government after over seven years.
Spain’s far-right Vox party has surged in the polls in recent months, hitting a record high and forcing the centre-right Partido Popular (PP) to react. Strong shows in regional polls elections have also further emphasised Vox’s role in national politics and potential future government.
READ ALSO: The 10 migration laws that will impact foreigners if Spain’s PP reaches power
Vox has firmly established itself as Spain’s third party and its rising poll numbers therefore raise the real possibility of the PP being forced into a coalition with the far-right, whether formally or informally, when the next election comes.
Vox has also in recent years stepped up its anti-migrant rhetoric, calling for the deportation of millions of immigrants and banning Islamic events in public spaces at a local level.
The purpose of the burqa bill is reportedly “to protect the dignity of women and public safety in public spaces”.
In view of this, customs that are allegedly “incompatible” with the Western way of life and that may also pose a “danger” to public safety must be avoided, supporters of the bill say, since both the burqa and the niqab completely hide the faces of those who wear them.
READ ALSO: ‘People are scared’ – Catalan anti-Islam party polarises Spanish town
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The text does not refer to the hijab, the scarf that simply covers a woman’s hair. The bill does however propose punishments of up to three years in prison for those who force burqa or niqabs on women through violence or other forms of coercion.
If the woman affected is a minor or in a vulnerable situation, the punishment will stretch up to four years.
For women who wear the burqa or niqab on the street or in public spaces, the initiative proposes fines of up to €600, which can rise to €30,000 in cases of repeat offenses.
The initiative follows a proposal by Vox in late-2025 to ban public celebrations of Muslim festivals such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Again this was linked to concerns about immigration and the proposal also sparked debates on cultural identity and national traditions, as Vox has also suggested that Spanish customs and festivities should be protected against the spread of “imported practices”.
READ ALSO: Will far-right Vox play a role in Spain’s next government?
