Belgian MPs vote to ban Islamic burqa in public

Belgium is Europe's first country to vote for a ban on the full Islamic veil or burqa, sparking dismay among Muslims with France set to follow suit.

"We're the first country to spring the locks that have made a good number of women slaves, and we hope to be followed by France, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands; countries that think," said liberal deputy Denis Ducarme.

In the lower house of the federal parliament on Thursday night, 136 deputies supported a nationwide ban on clothes or veils that do not allow the wearer to be fully identified, including the full-face niqab and burqa.

There were two abstentions. No one voted against.

The ban will be imposed in streets, public gardens and sports grounds or buildings "meant for public use or to provide services" to the public, according to the text of the bill.

Exceptions could be allowed for certain festivities like carnivals if municipal authorities decide to grant them.

People who ignore it could face a fine of 15-25 Euros and/or a jail sentence of up to seven days.

All governing parties and the opposition agreed on the move - most for security reasons linked to the fact that people cannot be recognised while wearing the clothing.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has declared that the burqa is not welcome in France, calling it an affront to French values that denigrates women.

France's National Assembly will begin debate in early July on a bill banning Muslim women from wearing the full Islamic veil.