Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for a national ban in Germany on “full veil” Islamic coverings. “The full veil is not appropriate here,” she said. “It should be banned wherever it’s legally possible.” Merkel opened the country’s door last year to nearly 1 million migrants, many of whom were Muslim. The call makes Germany just one of many European nations proposing restrictions on burqas, hijabs, and other religious covers for women; advocates say those who wear full veils are very rare in Germany. Details of Merkel’s proposal are still being hammered out, and come as she faces a tougher bid for reelection for a fourth term next year.
