The lower house of the French parliament voted overwhelmingly for a ban on the full-body veil – setting up a possible confrontation with France’s constitutional watchdog.

The proposed law, which is likely to be approved by the Senate in September, would make it a criminal offence to “conceal one’s face in public”. The text makes no mention of Islam, or veils. It is, however, the direct result of a 12-month agitation by politicians for a ban on the burka.

The constitutional council has twice warned that such a ban could infringe the principle of liberty guaranteed by the French republic. Mr Sarkozy’s centre-right party has already announced that it will refer the draft law to the council for discussion before it takes effect.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/constitutional-confrontation-looms-after-vote-to-ban-the-burka-2025821.html