VIENNA: Austria’s lower house of parliament on Thursday passed a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools for girls under 14 despite uncertainty over whether the legislation will be ruled unconstitutional as a previous ban was five years ago. The ban, proposed by the ruling coalition of three centrist parties, was also backed by the far-right Freedom Party, which was alone in calling for it to apply to school staff as well. The only party to oppose the proposed ban was the smallest in parliament, the Greens, arguing it violates the constitution. Rights groups have criticized the plan.

A similar ban for girls under 10 was struck down by the Constitutional Court for specifically targeting Muslims.

VIENNA: Austrian lawmakers on Thursday voted by a large majority in favor of a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under 14, a move rights groups and experts say is…