Ceuta Allows Voting in Niqab, Sparks Debate on Election Day Dress Code

For the local authorities of the city of Ceuta, any woman wearing a niqab or a burqa will be able to vote, but she will still have to comply with some rules laid down by the electoral law.

The president of the polling station will have to check the voter’s identity and she will therefore have to show her face to ensure that it matches the one on the identity card, passport or driver’s license. "It is not necessary to show her face to the rest of the people present," writes the local site El Faro de Ceuta.

In case of doubt about the identity of the person, the law stipulates that the president of the polling station can "make observations he deems appropriate" and can also call the electoral board, the only body authorized to rule on the matter.