Italy: First Veiled Italian Muslim Woman Runs for Local Elections

Adnkronos International

30-5-2009

Perugia, 28 May (AKI) - An Italian Muslim woman wearing the veil, or hijab, in the central city of Perugia will for the first time run for local elections, on 6 and 7 June. Maymouna Abdel Qader, an Italian of Palestinian descent, is a political science graduate of the University of Perugia.

She is running for Perugia's communal council for the Sinistra e Liberta coalition, which is made up of mainly socialist, anti-war and secular parties.

"Though being the first veiled Muslim woman that has ever run for elections in Italy, until now I have received a positive response from the people, who have also appreciated my choice, and look at me as a novelty of the local political scene," said Abdel Qader in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI).

Abdel Qader - who is the daughter of the imam of Perugia Mohammed Abdel Qader and is also one of the founders of the Young Italian Muslims association - said she is personally campaigning and distributing fliers to promote her candidacy.

"These days I am personally distributing fliers for my candidacy in order to ask the citizens of Perugia for their vote. Many have wished me well, after they see that I am Italian and not a foreigner," she told AKI.

Abdel Qader also said her objective is to represent Italy's second generation of Muslim immigrants in Italy that are now what she calls "The new Italians".

Among the things she wants to promote if elected, is that Perugia's public pool can be reserved solely for women, at least once a week.

"It is a battle that it not just limited to Muslim women. The pool will be open to all women, and I count with the support of many women about this."