Sarkozy party chief stresses need for law against face-covering Muslim veils

Sarkozy party chief: France must ban full veil

PARIS — The head of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s party says he wants a law to ensure that Muslim women who wear face-covering veils do not acquire French nationality.

Xavier Bertrand, head of the conservative UMP party, says the full veil “is simply a prison for women who wear it” and “will make no one believe” a woman wearing it wants to integrate.

France is moving closer to banning such veils. A top UMP lawmaker already filed legislation to ban it and a parliamentary committee studying the issue turns in its report on the veil by month’s end.

Bertrand made the remarks Sunday while delivering New Year’s greetings to UMP members in Nice. He said that for him such veils have nothing to do with religion, and everything to do with gender equality.