Copé has been pushing this initiative and advocating for a complete ban in all public places, trying to out-Sarko Sarkozy, if you will (a tall order, admittedly).
This is how a small number of women (400 burqa wearing and another 1500 wearing a niqab "integral" veil) become a danger to the Republic as we know it.
As for a "national debate", Sarkozy has himself started a state-sponsored debate on National IdentityTM, just in time for the upcoming local elections next month. Blaming Johnny Foreigner is a time proven tactic that is no French exclusivity, as we all know. Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.
