and has absolutely nothing to do with women's rights
Merkle herself mentioned it in relation to the violence of last summer as it they are at all related. Burka wearing women having nothing to do with those incidents. Nothing.

My point is simple, the people affected by a rule are the ones who should determine it. I don't know how often I need to type this out:

Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).
Nothing about us without us (is for us).

If you're not engaging muslim women about what they think, stfu.
Protect them. Empower them. Grant them agency and self determination.