Italy bans burqa and niqab in schools and caps foreign pupils at 30% as Meloni calls rules 'common sense'

From the Newshound archive · first published 12 October 2026.

Italy's government has approved a decree banning the burqa and niqab from all schools and imposing a 30% ceiling on the share of pupils with little or no Italian in any single class. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni unveiled the measures on Sunday, arguing that no tradition could justify forcing a young woman to hide her face. Parents who skip mandatory Italian language lessons face fines of up to $1,120. The decree takes effect next summer.

Opposition parties accuse Meloni's government of courting the hard-right Futuro Nazionale party ahead of next year's general election.

The ban covers the burqa and niqab but NOT the hijab, which leaves the face exposed; non-Italian citizens currently account for 11.6% of pupils in Italy's schools.