22/09/2026
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to ban full-face coverings, specifically burqas and niqabs, in Italian schools as part of a broader educational integration package.
Speaking at a party event in Rome, Meloni stated that students must attend school with uncovered faces and framed the proposal as a step toward integration and gender equality. The proposed package also includes capping the number of foreign students per classroom and requiring mandatory Italian language classes for non-native parents facing integration challenges. The measure is expected to go before the Cabinet soon before heading to parliament for approval, and it does not affect standard headscarves like the hijab.