Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to introduce new measures that would ban full-face coverings such as burqas and niqabs in schools and impose a legal limit on the number of foreign students in individual classrooms.
Meloni announced the proposals on Sunday at an annual gathering of the youth wing of her Brothers of Italy party in Rome. She said the measures would soon be presented to the Cabinet.
Under the proposed rules, students would be required to attend school with their faces uncovered. Meloni specifically referred to burqas and niqabs; her announcement did not mention the hijab, which covers the hair but leaves the face visible.
The government also plans to establish a maximum number of foreign students permitted in each classroom. Meloni did not specify what the new limit would be. Non-Italian citizens currently account for about 11.6 per cent of students enrolled in Italian schools, according to Fondazione ISMU.
The proposed measures would also require parents of foreign students facing serious difficulties integrating into the Italian school system to learn Italian. Meloni said people who come to Italy and want to build their future there should learn the language, understand Italian culture and respect the country's rules.
Meloni argued that when a large number of students in a classroom do not understand Italian, it can make integration more difficult. She said the government wanted to ensure that language barriers did not prevent students from integrating into the education system.
BIG BREAKING ? Italian PM Giorgia Meloni BANS burqas and niqabs in schools.
— News Algebra (@NewsAlgebraIND) September 20, 2026
She says -
"Nothing should be used to justify forcing young women to cover their faces"
"Gender equality is “not negotiable” in Italy’s streets or schools"
"I will also LIMIT the number of foreign… pic.twitter.com/NIg8qU06bi
The proposals are not yet law. They will have to go through the Italian legislative process, including parliamentary approval, before taking effect.
The announcement comes amid continuing political debate in Italy over migration, integration and the role of religious symbols in public institutions. Italy already has a guideline limiting foreign students in classrooms to 30 per cent, although reports say the rule has not been consistently enforced.
