[JURIST] Switzerland’s lower house of Parliament on Tuesday narrowly approved a bill [text, in German] that would amend the nation’s federal constitution to include a ban on “concealing ones face” in public under most circumstances. Proposed by the Swiss People’s Party, the bill passed the National Council [official websites] by an 88-87 vote, with 10 abstentions. Proponents of the bill argue that the ban does not impinge on freedoms and instead provides respect for women. Opponents counter, stating that the proposed law infringes on religious freedom and expression. The bill will next have to be approved by the Swiss Council of States [official website], or by a national referendum, to become law. This is the second attempt at a burqa ban in Switzerland, with the first being voted down in January.

Swiss law has undergone a handful of notable adjustments in the recent past. Earlier this month, Swiss voters approved [JURIST report] a new surveillance law allowing their national intelligence service broad powers to spy on ‘terrorist’ suspects and cyber criminals, as well as the ability to cooperate with foreign intelligence agencies. In June Swiss voters rejected [JURIST report] a plan that would provide all citizens with a guaranteed basic income. The proposal called for all adults to be paid an unconditional monthly income, regardless of need. Finally in February the citizens of Switzerland rejected [JURIST report] a proposed referendum that would require immediate, automatic deportation of any foreign national who was convicted of two crimes within a 10-year period.