"Austria's lower house of parliament has passed a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools after a previous ban was overturned on the grounds that it was discriminatory. Lawmakers passed the new legislation on Thursday by a large majority, meaning that girls younger than 14 will not be permitted to wear headscarves that cover the head in accordance with Islamic traditions in all schools, with non-compliance fines ranging from 150 to 800 euros ($175-930)."
"In 2019, the country introduced a ban on headscarves for under-10s in primary schools, but the Constitutional Court struck it down the following year, ruling that it was illegal because it discriminated against Muslims, going against the state's duty to be religiously neutral. The Austrian government says it has done [its] best to see that this law will hold up in the courts."
Austria's lower house passed a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools affecting around 12,000 girls. Girls under 14 are prohibited from wearing headscarves that cover the head in Islamic tradition in all schools, with fines of 150–800 euros. A 2019 ban on under-10s was struck down by the Constitutional Court as discriminatory and contrary to religious neutrality. The government says it sought to draft a law that will withstand court review. The measure was proposed by a three-party governing coalition, backed by the far-right Freedom Party and opposed only by the Greens. Rights groups warned the ban will deepen anti-Muslim sentiment and harm social cohesion.
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