Belgian court suspends headscarf ban in Flanders

Brussels - A top Belgian court on Thursday suspended a ban on wearing the Islamic headscarf and other religious symbols in schools in the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders, arguing that it was not clear that the right body had imposed it. The Flanders regional education council imposed the ban on September 11, 2009, after teachers argued that some Muslim families were forcing girls to wear the headscarf against their will.

But the Council of State ordered the ban to be suspended while it pondered whether the education council had the right to impose a ban, rather than the Flemish parliament, which has legislative power in the province.

"Following a request from a Muslim schoolgirl, the Council of State orders ... the suspension of the execution of this (ban) and forwards a question to the Constitutional Court," a press release from the council stated.

The Constitutional Court should judge "if the ban can in fact be imposed without the intervention of the legislature," which in this case is the Flemish parliament, the council's statement read.

Belgium's complex constitution separates powers between the federal government and parliament, based in Brussels, and the governments and parliaments of the country's regions, Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314761,belgian-court-suspends-headscarf-ban-in-flanders.html.