Christine Defraigne

Christine Defraigne (French pronunciation: [kʁistin dəfʁɛɲ]; born 1962^[1][2]) is a Belgian politician and a member of the MR. She was the President of the Belgian Senate, in office 2014 to 2018.^[3]

Christine Defraigne
Defraigne in 2015
President of the Belgian Senate
In office 14 October 2014 – 3 December 2018
Preceded by	Sabine de Bethune
Succeeded by	Jacques Brotchi
Personal details
Born	(1962-04-29) 29 April 1962 (age 63) Liège, Belgium
Political party	Reformist Movement
Parent	Jean Defraigne (father)

Political views

In 2009 Christine Defraigne proposed a nationwide ban of the burqa.^[4] She has also called the burkini a "rejection of the freedom of women".^[5] Her proposal (together with Joseph Arens) to stop slaughtering animals without anesthesia (like ritual slaughter) resulted in a ban on this practice in Wallonia.^[6] She is a feminist.^[7][8]

Criticism

Defraigne in Tehran for a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif

In 2016 she was criticized for wearing a headscarf while visiting Tehran. Her decision to visit the country and wear a hijab was heavily criticized by Iranian born Belgian activist Darya Safai who accused Defraigne of condoning oppressive policies created by the Iranian government.^[8][9] She defended herself saying she "didn't do anything different from what other western prominent women do".^[10]