A proposal by Faxe Municipality in south Zealand to ban municipal employees from wearing burkas on the job has failed following a vote. But it was close.

The proposal was initially passed by the economic committee by four votes to three, but stalled in the municipal board with a deadlocked 12 votes for and 12 votes against. One of the council members was on holiday and their vote was forfeited.

“The proposal failed due to a tie in the voting,” Knud Erik Hansen, the mayor of Faxe Municipality, said according to DR Nyheder.

“I’m pleased that it wasn’t passed, but I’m distressed it was such a close call because it would have branded the municipality negatively.”

As of now, the municipality has no employees wearing burkas.

READ MORE: Dansk Folkeparti wants a burka ban – for the fourth time in 12 years

Following France
The burka issue has been a hot potato in the media recently: particularly in France where a number of French cities have banned the burkini swimwear that covers much of the body.

Hijabs were banned from public schools in France in 2004 – as well as large Christian crosses and the Jewish kippa – and in 2007 complete face-covering Islamic veils were banned from public spaces.

Here in Denmark, the right-wing party Dansk Folkeparti (DF) is the leading advocate of a burka ban. DF pushed for a burka ban in 2004, 2009 and 2014, though none of the proposals were passed.