An EU lawmaker is campaigning to ban the use of the hijab and other Islamic headscarves by people who work for the legislature, according to an email circulated among all members of the European Parliament on Tuesday.

Charlie Weimers, head of the Sweden Democrats delegation within the European Conservatives and Reformists group, asked his colleagues to sign a petition to ban wearing “the hijab, niqab, or other Islamic headscarves by civil servants employed by EU institutions, as well as by external service providers contracted to work on EU premises.”

Once the signatures are gathered he will send the request to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola by the end of the day on Friday, Oct. 3, according to the email.

“The hijab ban would reinforce the impartiality, equality and universality of public service within the Union, send a strong signal of support to empower all females currently living under Islamic oppression and ensure that the European Parliament serves as a neutral example for member states, civil society and other international organisations,” reads the letter, obtained by POLITICO. 

“From a practical perspective, garments covering the head and neck complicate security screening and identification, adding operational risks that are absent when smaller religious symbols are worn discreetly,” the letter says. 

Other lawmakers are less than impressed with the idea.

“This proposal is nothing more than an Islamophobic distraction,” said Martin Schirdewan, co-chair of The Left. “Instead of tackling the real challenges facing Europeans: rising inequality, climate breakdown, housing insecurity, and the erosion of workers’ rights, far-right politicians are targeting Muslim women’s clothing to stoke fear and division.”

Hana Jalloul Muro, an MEP for the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, said she was “shocked” by the proposal, criticizing the letter for “attacking women workers, filled with hatred, sexism, and Islamophobia.

“It is a shame to witness an assault on freedom of religion, a universal right, within the European institutions,” she added. “We are here to set an example — this is definitely not the Europe of values.”

The Sweden Democrats have made a practice of campaigning against Islam back home, and have previously called for a ban on new mosques in the country and for existing ones to be demolished.

EU countries such as France, the Netherlands and Austria have previously enforced bans on face-covering garments in public buildings. But banning the hijab, which covers the head but not the face, remains controversial in many countries.

“This is an individual initiative for now, but I expect broad support,” Weimers told POLITICO when asked whether his ECR group supports his proposal.

Metsola’s spokesperson and a spokesperson for the European Parliament declined to comment. A spokesperson for the ECR group wasn’t immediately available for comment.