Lorraine Williamson
Spain´s burka ban bill, due to be debated in Congress this week, has all the hallmarks of a law that won’t pass — but will still do political work.
Vox wants a nationwide ban on full-face Islamic veils such as the burka and niqab in public spaces, proposing changes that would reach into the Criminal Code and other legislation. The governing coalition (PSOE and Sumar) is rejecting it on constitutional grounds, arguing a blanket ban would clash with protections against discrimination and freedom of religion.
So why is it dominating the week? Because the real story is less about enforcement — and more about the PP moving closer to Vox’s terrain, with Alberto Núñez Feijóo now publicly backing an initiative that was long treated as a signature Vox demand.
The numbers problem: PP and Vox look isolated
On paper, the bill is headed for defeat. Crucially, Junts has said it will vote against Vox’s text, even while presenting its own alternative proposal. Without Junts — and with other groups also distancing themselves — the parliamentary maths becomes hostile.
Cadena SER reports the PP is effectively left standing beside Vox on the vote, with nationalist parties criticising Vox’s approach as xenophobic, even when they agree a debate can exist in principle.
The legal problem: Spain has already been here
Even if the politics shifted, the law itself faces a well-worn obstacle course.
Spain’s Supreme Court struck down a local ban on the full-face veil in Lleida in 2013, finding that municipalities lacked the competence to limit a fundamental right in this way.
That does not automatically end any national debate — but it frames it. Ministers are already pointing to constitutional protections (including equality and religious freedom) as the reason the government will not support a general prohibition.
What the bill actually proposes
Vox’s plan goes further than a symbolic statement. Reporting on the “fine print” describes a package of sanctions and enforcement measures, including expulsions from public spaces and fines that could become significant, alongside penalties aimed at people who force others to wear the veil.
Supporters argue this is about security and women’s rights. Critics say it’s a culture-war law aimed at a marginal practice in Spain, designed to keep immigration and identity as the main political battleground.
Why the PP still wants the fight
This is where the strategy becomes clearer.
The PP governs — or wants to govern — in places where Vox is a necessary partner. Aligning on a highly charged issue can act as a signal: we are ready to speak your language when it matters. El País links the move to the PP’s broader effort to stabilise relationships with Vox in regional power games.
At the same time, the PP is also competing with Vox for the same voters. A hard-line posture on identity issues is a way to stop leakage on the right — even if the bill itself goes nowhere.
The wider backdrop: local flashpoints feeding a national script
Spain has seen how these debates jump from Parliament to town halls. One of the most cited examples is Jumilla (Murcia), where a PP–Vox agreement restricted the use of municipal sports facilities in a way critics argued effectively blocked long-standing Islamic celebrations in public venues.
Those local disputes often become the raw material for national positioning: less about practical administration, more about identity, belonging and who sets the rules.
Where this goes next
If Junts and other groups hold their line, Spain´s burka ban bill will likely be defeated — and the government will present that as a defence of constitutional rights.
But the political after-effect may last longer than the vote. The PP has now shown it is willing to endorse a Vox flagship demand in public. And Vox will claim another win: an idea once treated as fringe is again being argued in the mainstream.