Italy to ban veils in schools, limit foreign students per class, Meloni says

Italy is preparing a sweeping legislative package targeting classroom integration, dress codes, and parental accountability. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni outlined the upcoming measures on Sunday during an annual youth gathering in Rome organized by her right-wing Brothers of Italy party.

The proposals touch on some of the most polarizing cultural debates in Italy. They combine restrictions on religious face coverings with limits on foreign student populations and mandatory language requirements for immigrant families.

Face Coverings and the Push for School Dress Code Restrictions

The planned legislation would explicitly outlaw full-face veils in educational settings. Meloni told the rally that students must attend school with unveiled faces, arguing that traditional customs do not supersede national rules.

“You must go to school with your face uncovered, and in Italy no one, in the name of a real or supposed tradition, can decide that a young woman must hide herself.”

While niqabs and burqas are not currently banned outright by name in Italy, existing statutes present a complex legal backdrop. A 1975 public safety measure prohibits wearing garments or helmets that obscure identity without a justifiable reason. A subsequent 2008 judicial ruling carved out exemptions for religious or cultural attire provided identity verification remains possible. Earlier this year, the anti-immigrant League party within Meloni’s ruling coalition advanced a bill penalizing forced face concealment with prison terms ranging from one to two years and fines spanning €10,000 to €30,000.

Classroom Demographics and the Foreign Student Cap Debate

Alongside the veil restrictions, the cabinet package will establish a legal maximum for non-citizen pupils in individual classrooms. Meloni defended the policy shift by pointing to the linguistic challenges teachers and students face when language barriers dominate daily instruction.

“If there is only one child in a class who doesn’t understand Italian, that child will likely be able to learn the language and integrate quickly with the help of classmates and teachers. However, if the number of children who don’t understand the language becomes large – or even the majority – that is no longer integration; it is neglect.”

Data from Fondazione ISMU indicates that students without Italian citizenship make up 11.6 per cent of total school enrollment, translating to nearly 12 out of every 100 students.

Parental Language Mandates and Broader Political Pressures

The proposed measures extend beyond students to encompass their households. Parents of foreign pupils experiencing serious difficulties integrating into the school system will face a mandatory requirement to learn Italian. Meloni framed the obligation as a foundational prerequisite for families settling permanently in the country.

The political timing of the announcement coincides with intensifying competition on the right ahead of next year’s general election. Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party faces pressure from the National Future party, founded by retired general and European Parliament member Roberto Vannacci, whose faction pushed for parliamentary resolutions against full-face coverings earlier in July.

Once formally approved by the cabinet, the proposed legislation must clear parliament within a 60-day window to be enacted into law.