Dutch burqa ban plan headed for the garbage can

AMSTERDAM – Dutch government plans to ban the wearing of burqas and forbid citizens of the Netherlands from holding dual nationality are unlikely to proceed, according to the minister charged with carrying them out.

Both ideas were part of the platform of anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders, who precipitated the collapse of the all-conservative minority Cabinet last week by saying his party would no longer help it reach a majority in Parliament.

In an interview with Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant published Wednesday, Interior Minister Liesbeth Spies of the Christian Democrat party said "Parliament wants to throw the dual nationality (ban) in the trash can, and if the same happens with the burqa ban I won't shed a tear."

A spokesman for her office confirmed the remarks.