France refuses nationality to man who forced wife to wear veil

France’s immigration minister says he has signed off on a refusal to give French nationality to a man who forced his French wife to wear a burqa-style veil that covers her face.

Eric Besson says the man acknowledged compelling his wife to wear the veil and thus “very clearly denied the principles of male-female equality” and secularism.

Besson’s office said the minister signed a decree Tuesday denying French citizenship to the man and sent it for approval to Prime Minister Francois Fillon.

France is considering whether to ban face-covering Muslim veils. A parliamentary panel has said they should be banned in places of public service, including mass transport and hospitals.

President Nicolas Sarkozy says such veils aren’t welcome in France.

 

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