Sweden Democrats Renew Call for Hijab Ban in Schools and Healthcare Facilities

Sweden Democrats Renew Call for Hijab Ban in Schools and Healthcare Facilities
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The far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) have renewed their call for a ban on wearing the hijab in publicly funded institutions, including schools and healthcare facilities, arguing that the headscarf is incompatible with what the party describes as Sweden’s democratic values and principles of gender equality.

Jessica Stegrud, the party’s spokesperson on social policy, said in a statement posted on X that women and girls in Sweden should enjoy “full freedom in public spaces, without practices or traditions that restrict their independence or impose limits on their appearance.” She added that public institutions should reflect neutrality and equality.

Stegrud argued that wearing the hijab in publicly funded settings represents submission to social and religious norms that, in her view, seek to regulate women’s behavior and control their bodies. She said religious extremism and what she described as Islamism should have no place in activities financed by taxpayers.

The Sweden Democrats said their proposal includes pushing for legislation that would prohibit the hijab in educational institutions, which the party claims would protect girls from social and religious pressure and ensure a learning environment based on neutrality and equal treatment.

The renewed proposal has drawn criticism from human rights organizations and political opponents, who argue that a hijab ban would violate freedom of religion and individual rights protected under Swedish law. Critics have warned that such measures could increase feelings of exclusion among Muslim communities and undermine social cohesion.