Burqa-Niqab out of Italian schools? Meloni government moves to tighten classroom rules

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to ban burqas and niqabs in Italian schools, saying students should attend classes with their faces uncovered. The government is also preparing rules to limit foreign students in classrooms and require some parents to learn Italian.

NewsBharati    21-Sep-2026 15:02:09 PM
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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced a proposed ban on the wearing of burqas and niqabs in schools, along with measures to limit the number of foreign students in classrooms.
 
Meloni made the announcement on Sunday (September 20) while addressing a youth event organised by her Brothers of Italy (FdI) party in Rome. She said the proposals would soon be taken to the Council of Ministers. The measures are yet to become law and will require parliamentary approval within 60 days after government clearance.

Giorgia Meloni
(Image : TV9 Gujrati)
 
Meloni said students should attend school with their faces uncovered and argued that no one should be pressured to cover their face in the name of tradition. The proposal specifically refers to the burqa and niqab, which cover the face, rather than a general ban on all forms of religious clothing.
 
 
 
Foreign students also under proposed rules
 
The government is also considering a cap on the number of foreign students in each classroom. The exact limit has not yet been announced.
 
Another proposed measure would require parents of foreign students facing serious difficulties integrating into the Italian education system to attend Italian language classes. Meloni has argued that people settling in Italy should learn the language, understand the country's culture and follow its rules.
 
 
The issue comes as Italian schools have a significant number of students without Italian citizenship. According to data from the Fondazione ISMU, around 931,323 students with non-Italian citizenship were enrolled in Italian schools in the 2024-25 academic year, accounting for 11.6 percent of the total student population.
 
Italy already has a face-covering law
 
Italy has had restrictions on face coverings since 1975. The existing law prohibits the use of means that make a person's identification difficult in public places without a justified reason. The proposed school-specific measure would create a separate restriction within educational institutions.
 
The announcement also comes amid growing political debate over immigration and integration ahead of Italy's next general election, scheduled for 2027. Meloni's government has made immigration and integration major policy issues.
 
Meloni is also facing pressure from parties further to her right on immigration. Former army general Roberto Vannacci, who launched Futuro Nazionale in 2026, has positioned his party around a tougher approach to immigration and national identity.
 
The proposed school measures now face the legislative process. Until parliament approves them, the burqa and niqab restrictions remain government proposals rather than an enacted nationwide school ban.