Minister opposes burkas and niqabs in Finnish schools

Finland’s Minister for Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen has said burkas and niqabs should not be worn in schools, arguing that children should be able to “live freely in Finnish society”. In a post on X, Grahn-Laasonen described full-face coverings as incompatible with school life, citing equality, children’s rights and safety. She also called the broader use of headscarves “a difficult question of religious freedom”.