Spanish City of Lleida Reinstates Ban on Niqab and Burqa in Public Spaces

The municipal council of Lleida (Lérida) in Spain's Catalonia region has approved a measure reinstating a ban on full face coverings in public spaces, reviving the broader European debate over niqab and burqa legislation.

Under the ordinance, local authorities will impose fines of up to €750 on those who violate the ban, with specific exemptions permitting face coverings in certain circumstances, such as health or occupational reasons or in the context of specific events.

What makes the measure particularly notable is the unusual political coalition that secured its passage: the Catalan Socialist Party, a centre-left formation, voted alongside the far-right Vox and the Catalan separatist party Junts to push the ban through the city council.

This convergence of ideologically distant political forces has raised questions about local political calculations, particularly as issues of identity, immigration and religious dress have remained among the most contentious in Catalonia and Spain in recent years.

Lleida is not the first Spanish city to move in this direction; other municipalities across the country have previously enacted similar legislation, though some were later overturned by courts or revised in response to legal challenges.

The exact date for the ban's formal entry into force has yet to be confirmed, and the new measure is expected to face opposition from human rights organisations and advocates for religious freedoms, as well as a response from the city's Muslim community.