Politics · Spain · 4 hrs ago
Lleida approves a new rule restricting face coverings in public spaces
Lleida’s city council in Catalonia has provisionally approved limits on face coverings in public spaces.
The rule covers any clothing that hides the face, including the burqa and niqab, and sets fines of 400 to 750 euros after a warning.
It was backed by the governing PSC, Junts and Vox, while the PP, ERC and Comú de Lleida opposed it.
The rule makes exceptions for places of worship, accepted social customs and cases involving the exercise of a fundamental right.
Lleida tried a similar ban in 2010, but Spain’s Supreme Court overturned it in 2013, saying local councils cannot restrict religious freedom and that a state law would be needed.
The council’s new approach focuses on public conduct and includes a socio-educational plan intended to support Muslim women’s freedom to decide.
The rule must still be confirmed after a public period for objections, and the PP says it will file objections because it wants a ban without exceptions.
Lleida’s city council has initially approved a rule restricting clothing that covers the face in public spaces.
The rule was approved on 25 September with support from the governing PSC, Junts and Vox, while the PP, ERC and Comú de Lleida voted against it.
It includes exceptions for places of worship, settings where face covering is customary, and cases protected by fundamental rights.
Violations carry a warning and a fine of between 400 and 750 euros.
The PP opposes the exceptions and wants a total ban, while the city government says its approach is focused on civic conduct and religious freedom.
- Who
- Lleida’s city council approved the rule, with votes in favour from the PSC, Junts and Vox.
- What
- It restricts clothing that covers the face in public spaces, with exceptions and fines for violations.
- When
- The council approved it in an initial vote on 25 September 2026.
- Where
- Lleida, Catalonia, Spain.
- Why
- The city government presents the rule as a civic-conduct measure and says it aims to avoid conflict with freedom of worship.
Lleida city government
PP
Exceptions
Lleida city government
The rule allows face covering in places of worship, customary settings and when exercising a fundamental right.
PP
The PP wants the ban to apply without exceptions.
Purpose
Lleida city government
The city government says the rule addresses civic conduct and is designed not to conflict with freedom of worship.
PP
The PP says the measure is a political manoeuvre and does not amount to a real prohibition.
Lleida adopted an ordinance prohibiting full-face veils in municipal facilities.
Spain’s Supreme Court annulled the ordinance, ruling that municipalities lacked authority to limit a fundamental right such as religious freedom.
The city council initially approved amendments to its civic-conduct ordinance, including the face-covering restriction.
The amended rule must be ratified after the period for submitting objections.
- Vote
- PSC: 9 councillors; Junts: 5; Vox: 2 in favour; PP: 5; ERC: 5; Comú de Lleida: 1 against
- Fine
- 400 to 750 euros, with a prior warning
- Exceptions
- Places of worship, customary settings and exercise of a fundamental right
- Previous ordinance
- Adopted in 2010 and annulled by the Supreme Court in 2013
- Next step
- Ratification after the public-objection period
What people are saying
Lleida has not prohibited anything, it has regulated how to go with the face covered through its streets and has facilitated its use in the most Islamised neighbourhoods of the city.
We will present objections because it is a political set-up, they wanted to appropriate a right-wing issue and it has backfired.