Niqabs, Burqas Face School Ban as Meloni Tightens Italy’s Integration Rules
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to ban the wearing of burqas and niqabs in schools as part of proposed measures aimed at improving the integration of foreign students.
Meloni disclosed the plan on Sunday while addressing members of the youth wing of her Brothers of Italy party.
She said the government would present the proposed measures to a cabinet meeting, including a new limit on the number of foreign students permitted in each class.
“A measure will soon be presented to a cabinet meeting to legally establish a maximum number of foreign students per class,” Meloni said.
She added that parents of foreign students experiencing serious difficulties integrating into the Italian school system would also be required to learn Italian.
The proposed rules come as immigration and the integration of foreign nationals remain major political issues in Italy ahead of next year’s general election.
Italy is one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants and has faced prolonged political debate over how migrant communities should be integrated into Italian society.
Meloni’s proposed restriction on face-covering garments would specifically apply to schools. Italy does not currently have a law expressly banning burqas or niqabs in schools or public places.
A 1975 law prohibits the use of helmets or garments that make identification difficult without a justified reason.
In 2008, however, Italy’s highest administrative court clarified that full-face veils could be worn for religious or cultural reasons, provided the wearer uncovered their face when identity checks were required.
The issue has also attracted pressure from political parties outside Meloni’s governing coalition.
The National Future party called for restrictions on burqas in schools in July. The party has since gained support following its launch in February and has emerged as a challenger to Meloni’s political bloc.
The anti-immigration League, which is part of Meloni’s governing coalition, also introduced a bill in the Senate earlier this year seeking restrictions on helmets and garments that conceal the face.
The proposed legislation includes exemptions for sporting events and places of worship.
Meloni’s plan to limit foreign students would also affect an area already covered by Italian regulations, although she did not explain how the proposed measure would change the existing framework.
Foreign students account for just under 12 per cent of enrolments in Italian schools, according to the National Statistics Institute.
Since 2010, Italian regulations have generally limited foreign students to 30 per cent of a class and of a school’s overall enrolment.
The threshold can be raised where foreign students demonstrate adequate Italian-language skills, including those born in Italy.
It can also be lowered where students have limited knowledge of Italian.
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