Italy PM Giorgia Meloni Proposes Burqa-Niqab Ban in Schools, Foreign Student Limits

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has proposed banning burqas and niqabs in schools and tightening rules on foreign students, making immigration a key political issue ahead of the 2027 general election.

Proposed Ban on Face Coverings

Burqas and niqabs are full-face coverings worn by some Muslim women. A burqa covers the entire face, including the eyes, while a niqab generally leaves the eyes visible.

Italy does not currently have a law that expressly bans either garment.

A 1975 law prohibits the use of helmets or clothing that makes identification difficult without a justified reason. A 2008 ruling clarified that full-face coverings could be worn for religious or cultural reasons, provided the face could be uncovered when identity verification was required, as per AlJazeera.

The anti-immigration League, a member of Meloni’s governing coalition, introduced a bill earlier this year seeking restrictions on helmets and garments that conceal the face, with exceptions including sporting events and places of worship.

Meloni Proposes New School Rules

Meloni announced the proposed measures on Sunday at the national festival of Gioventu Nazionale, the youth wing of her Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, in Rome.

The changes would also make Italian language lessons compulsory for parents of foreign students who face “serious difficulties integrating into the school system”.

Meloni said that anyone who came to Italy and wanted to build their future there must learn the Italian language, understand the country’s culture and respect its rules.

She said learning the language and understanding Italian culture were necessary for integration.

The proposed measures would first need government approval and then parliamentary approval within 60 days to become law.

Foreign Student Cap Already Exists

Meloni also proposed a legal cap on the number of foreign students allowed in each class.

However, Italy already has a 30% limit on foreign students per class and school under existing rules. Meloni did not specify how her proposed measure would alter the current system.

Foreign students currently account for about 12% of enrolment in Italian schools.

Immigration Takes Centre Stage

Immigration is expected to remain a major political issue ahead of Italy’s 2027 general election.

Meloni’s FdI-led government has been in office longer than any other Italian government since the end of the Second World War.

Her party is also facing pressure from National Future (FN), a party positioned further to the right of FdI that has gained support in opinion polls since February.

FN had called for restrictions on burqa use in schools in July, adding pressure on Meloni’s government to take a harder line on immigration and integration.