Italian Prime Minister Meloni Plans Ban on Burqas, Niqabs in Schools

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announces plans to introduce a measure to her government that would ban the wearing of burqas and niqabs in schools.

The proposed measure would also cap the number of foreign students in classrooms and make Italian language lessons compulsory for parents of foreign students facing serious difficulties integrating into the school system. Meloni made the announcement on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at the Gioventù Nazionale national festival in Rome. Meloni states that anyone who comes to Italy and wants to build their future there must learn their language, understand their culture, and respect their rules.

She specifically refers to the burqa, an all-covering dress, and the niqab, a veil where at most only the eyes show, but does not mention the hijab. Foreign citizens currently account for about 11.6% of school enrollments in Italy. An existing Italian law caps foreign students at 30% per class or school, but Meloni did not specify what the new limit would be.

Once approved by the government, the measure would need parliamentary approval within 60 days to pass into law. Meloni's announcement comes ahead of a general election expected next year. Her conservative administration became Italy’s longest-serving uninterrupted government since World War II earlier this month. The National Future (FN) party, further to the right, called for a crackdown on burqas in schools in July and has seen its popularity increase.