Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Sunday that her government will propose legislation to ban burqas and niqabs in schools and cap the number of foreign students per classroom. The measures aim to address integration challenges and promote cultural assimilation within Italy’s education system.
The proposals were unveiled during a speech at the Fenix festival, an event organized by the youth wing of Meloni’s conservative Brothers of Italy party. The government has not yet specified the exact limit on foreign students per class, though Meloni indicated it would be set at approximately 30% of each classroom. She argued that high numbers of non-Italian-speaking students could marginalize native Italian children, stating: “If these children are many, or even the majority, that’s not integration anymore; that’s abandonment.”
Meloni also announced plans to require parents of foreign students facing serious integration difficulties to learn Italian, framing the measures as essential for social cohesion. “For us, anyone who comes to Italy and wants to build their future here must learn our language, understand our culture, and respect our rules,” she said. “It is the only serious way to welcome them.”
The proposed ban specifically targets burqas and niqabs, garments that cover the face, while exempting hijabs, which leave the face uncovered. Italy already has a 1975 law restricting clothing that obstructs identification in public spaces, under which face-covering veils have previously been addressed in certain contexts. The new measure would represent the first nationwide school-specific ban on burqas and niqabs.
Policy Details and Rationale
According to data from the ISMU ETS Foundation, cited by the Italian Ministry of Education, students with non-Italian citizenship currently make up 11.6% of total school enrollment nationwide. Under Italy’s citizenship laws, children born in Italy to non-Italian parents do not automatically receive Italian citizenship at birth but may apply after turning 18 if they have remained in the country.
Meloni emphasized that the proposed classroom cap would prevent Italian children from becoming a minority in their own schools. “There’s no way that in an Italian classroom, the ones who feel marginalized are Italian children because they have become a minority,” she stated. The government has not yet finalized the numerical threshold, though reports suggest it may be set near 30% foreign students per class.
The ban on face-covering veils in schools is framed as a measure to uphold gender equality and social integration. Meloni asserted: “At school, you go with your face uncovered, and in Italy no one, in the name of a real or presumed tradition, can decide that a young woman has to hide. Equality between men and women is non-negotiable.”
European Context and Existing Laws
Italy’s proposal aligns with broader European debates over religious expression, integration, and national identity. Several European countries have implemented restrictions on face-covering veils in public spaces or educational institutions:
- France: Banned face-covering veils in public spaces in 2011.
- Belgium: Enforced a similar ban in 2011.
- Bulgaria: Banned face-covering veils in public in 2016.
- Austria: Restricted face coverings in public spaces in 2017.
- Denmark: Banned face coverings in public spaces in 2018.
- Netherlands: Partially banned face coverings in certain public areas in 2019.
- Switzerland: Voters approved a ban on face coverings in public spaces in 2021.
- Portugal: No nationwide ban, but some municipalities have restricted face coverings in public buildings.
- Germany: Banned face coverings for teachers and civil servants in some states.
- Sweden: No nationwide ban, but some municipalities have implemented restrictions.
- Spain: No nationwide ban, though some regions have local restrictions.
Italy’s existing 1975 law already prohibits the use of clothing that makes identification difficult in public places, a framework under which face-covering veils have been addressed in specific circumstances. The new school-specific ban would represent a targeted expansion of this policy.
Legislative Process and Next Steps
The proposed measures must undergo Italy’s legislative process before becoming law. Meloni stated that a draft measure would soon be presented to the Cabinet for approval. The government has not yet released the full text of the legislation, and the timeline for parliamentary debate remains unspecified.
The announcement comes amid heightened political focus on migration and integration, particularly regarding arrivals from Muslim-majority countries. Italy, positioned on Europe’s southern border, has been a primary entry point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, making immigration a central issue in domestic politics.
Reactions and Political Context
The proposals have drawn attention from both supporters and critics. Supporters of Meloni’s government argue that the measures are necessary to preserve national identity and ensure educational equity. Critics, including human rights organizations and some advocacy groups, contend that such bans disproportionately target Muslim women and girls, infringing on religious freedoms and exacerbating social divisions.
The far-right National Future (FN) party, which is not part of the governing coalition, has previously called for a crackdown on burqas in schools. FN, positioned further to the right than Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, has gained traction in polls since its formation in February, intensifying pressure on the government to adopt stricter policies.
Key Definitions
- Burqa: A full-body garment that includes a mesh screen over the eyes.
- Niqab: A veil that covers the face, leaving only the eyes visible.
- Hijab: A headscarf that covers the hair and neck but leaves the face uncovered.
The proposed ban applies only to garments that cover the face, excluding hijabs and other head coverings that do not obscure facial features.