Italy ministers agree to ban burqa and niqab in school and cap foreigners in class
The Italian government has approved a ban on the burqa and niqab in schools and introduced a 30% cap on students with limited Italian language proficiency. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni framed the measures as tools for integration, while opposition parties criticized them as pandering to hard-right policies.
Why it matters
These policies represent a significant shift in Italian education and integration policy, sparking debate over religious freedom and social inclusion.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Davide Ghiglione in Rome Vincenzo Nuzzolese/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The Italian government has approved a ban on the burqa and niqab in schools, along with a limit on the share of pupils who speak little Italian in any one class.
A 30% cap will be imposed on children without Italian citizenship or poor knowledge of the Italian language in the first year of primary, middle and high school.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the measures as "common-sense tools that do not divide but really help to integrate".
Opposition parties accuse the government of pandering to the policies of the hard-right Futuro Nazionale party, ahead of a general election next year.
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