Meloni government bans burqas, caps foreign students in Italian schools

Italy is a front-line country for migration, with integration a hot campaign issue ahead of 2027 general election.

x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni delivers remarks at a rally celebrating her government's record as the longest-serving administration in Italy's republican history, in Bari, Italy, on September 4, 2026 [Remo Casilli/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff , AFP , AP and Reuters Published On 25 Sep 2026 25 Sep 2026 Italy’s government has moved forward with plans to ban face coverings in schools and cap the number of foreign students in classrooms. It has also threatened to exact fines of up to $1,140 for breaches of the new rules.