German interior minister calls for curbs on Burka

The German interior minister, Thomas de Maiziere, has called for a partial ban on the burka, a day after saying a full ban might not be constitutional.

De Maiziere said the burka did not fit in with Germany's open society and showing the face was essential to social cohesion.

"We reject the full veil - not just the burka but the other forms of full veil where only the eyes are visible," de Maiziere said. "It doesn't fit in with our open society. Showing the face is a constituent element for our communication, the way we live, our social cohesion. That is why we call on everyone to show their face."

"Whoever wants to work in public service cannot do so while wearing the full veil," he added.

The proposal would prevent anyone from wearing the veil in schools, universities, nurseries, public offices or while driving.

It requires parliamentary approval to become law.

According to the BBC, there are no official statistics on the number of women who wear the burka in Germany but Aiman Mazyek, leader of the Central Council of Muslims, has said hardly any women wear it, Reuters news agency reports.

A study carried out by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in 2009 found that more than two-thirds of Muslim women in Germany did not even wear a headscarf.