Portugal has enacted a law restricting face coverings in public, with offenders facing fines of up to €3,000.
President António José Seguro promulgated the legislation on August 18, 2026, after parliament approved it on July 17.
The law prohibits coverings deliberately used to conceal the face or prevent identification in public. Deliberate violations attract fines of €400 to €3,000, while negligent breaches carry penalties of €150 to €750.
Anyone who forces another person to cover their face on grounds including gender, religion, age or origin can face up to three years in prison.
Exemptions apply to coverings required for health, professional, artistic or weather-related reasons, as well as those worn in places of worship, diplomatic premises and on aircraft.
The legislation does not specifically mention the burqa or niqab but has been dubbed Portugal’s “burqa law” because of its potential impact on Muslim women who wear full-face veils.
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Seguro defended the measure as a balance between individual rights and social responsibilities, citing facial visibility, gender equality, social integration and European human-rights jurisprudence.
The law originated with Chega, Portugal’s right-wing populist party. Parliament approved its initial proposal on October 17, 2025, when it specifically targeted religious face veils and proposed fines of €200 to €4,000. The bill was later revised before final passage.
The measure divided parliament, with the governing Social Democratic Party and right-wing parties supporting it, while the Socialist Party, Livre, Portuguese Communist Party and Left Bloc opposed it. PAN abstained.
Rights groups and opposition parties have warned that the law could disproportionately affect Muslim women and undermine freedom of religion and expression. Legal organisations have also questioned its constitutional implications.
Portugal joins a growing list of European countries with face-covering restrictions. France and Belgium introduced nationwide bans in 2011, followed by Bulgaria in 2016, Austria in 2017, and Denmark and Luxembourg in 2018. The Netherlands adopted narrower restrictions in 2019.
The European Court of Human Rights upheld France’s ban in 2014, finding that it could be justified by the state’s interest in maintaining conditions for social interaction.
Portugal’s law adds to Europe’s continuing debate over public identification, social cohesion, religious freedom and individual choice.