Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to ban the wearing of burqas and niqabs in schools as part of a broader package aimed at integrating foreign students.
Meloni disclosed the plan while addressing a gathering of the youth wing of her Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, saying the government would also introduce a limit on the number of foreign students allowed 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 told the gathering.
“It also requires parents of foreign students facing serious difficulties integrating into the school system to learn Italian, and bans burqas and niqabs in schools,” she said.
The proposed measures come as migration and the integration of foreign nationals remain major political issues in Italy ahead of next year’s general election.
Italy, one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants, has faced sustained political debate over immigration and the integration of migrant communities.
The proposed restriction on face-covering garments would introduce a specific school-related ban, although Italy currently has no law that expressly prohibits burqas or niqabs in schools or public places.
Under a 1975 law, the use of helmets or garments that make identification difficult is prohibited unless there is a justified reason. Italy’s highest administrative court later clarified in 2008 that full-face veils could be worn for religious or cultural reasons, provided the face is uncovered when identity checks are required.
The issue has also been raised by parties further to the right of Meloni’s government. The National Future (FN), which is outside the governing coalition, called for a crackdown on burqas in schools in July.
The FN has emerged as a significant challenger to Meloni’s political bloc after its support rose sharply in polls following its February launch.
Meanwhile, Italy’s anti-immigrant League party, a member of Meloni’s governing coalition, introduced a bill in the Senate earlier this year to restrict the use of helmets and face-concealing garments, with exceptions for sporting events and places of worship.
Meloni’s proposed limit on foreign students would also affect an area already covered by Italian law. However, she did not explain how the new proposal would alter the existing rules.
Foreign students make up just under 12 per cent of enrolments in Italian schools, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (ISTAT).
Since 2010, Italian regulations have generally capped foreign students at 30 per cent of a class and a school’s overall enrolment. The threshold can be increased for foreign students with sufficient Italian-language skills, including those born in Italy, while it can be reduced for students with limited knowledge of Italian.
