Italian Prime Minister wants to ban burqa and niqab in schools

Italian Prime Minister Plans to Ban Burqa and Niqab in Schools

Italy will ban the burqa and niqab in schools and introduce a limit on the number of foreign students in classrooms. This was announced by the country's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.

Meloni outlined the plan at a meeting of the youth wing of her "Brothers of Italy" (FdI) party. She said that Italian language classes would be mandatory for the parents of foreign students who "face serious difficulties in integrating into the school system."

"For us, anyone who comes to Italy and wants to build their future here must learn our language, understand our culture, and respect our rules," Meloni said.

Once the government approves the plan, the changes must be approved by parliament within 60 days to become law.

The burqa covers the face completely, including the eyes, while the niqab leaves the eyes open. There is no direct ban on either in Italy. However, a law passed in 1975 prohibits the use of clothing that makes identification difficult.

A 2008 court ruling clarified that clothing that fully covers the face is permitted for religious or cultural reasons, but the face must be uncovered when identification is required. Along with the burqa ban, Meloni said she would also introduce a legal limit on the number of foreign students in each classroom.

At the same time, Italian law already has a 30 percent limit on the proportion of foreign students in each classroom and school. Meloni did not explain exactly how this regulation would change. Currently, foreign students make up about 12 percent of students in Italian schools.