A ban on the "burkini" in the French town of Cannes has been overturned by a court.
France's highest court on Friday ruled that a similar ban in the town of Villeneuve-Loubet breached citizens' basic rights and should be scrapped.
That ruling set a legal precedent, but the Cannes decision, made in a Nice courtroom, is significant as the town was the first to put a ban on the garment in place.
The bans, made on the basis that the full-cover swimwear breaches French standards of secularism in public places, have been internationally condemned.
The French government has ruled out a national ban, but Republican presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has said that he would amend the constitution to bar women from wearing the Burkini.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Josh is a staff writer covering Europe, including politics, policy, immigration and more.
