(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) Meloni promises to ban burqas, niqabs in Italy’s schools | Islamophobia News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/20/meloni-promises-to-ban-burqas-niqabs-in-italys-schools)                                                (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/9/20/meloni-promises-to-ban-burqas-niqabs-in-italys-schools)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/afp_6ab005035250-1789920515.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2026/09/afp_6ab005035250-1789920515.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6c6e15fe.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.e3bc53a0.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.74fd263a.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~5db14389.c7afea12.r2.chunk.css) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~41c72a2c.3f309873.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~06be7c11.0625e98d.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/pages/article-page~493df0b3.accd71c7.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (meloni-promises-to-ban-burqas-niqabs-in-italys-schools@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News |(https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/islamophobia/) Islamophobia   Meloni promises to ban burqas, niqabs in Italy’s schools  Listen   Listen (3 mins)       Save       Share Meloni promises to ban burqas, niqabs in Italy’s schools on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fgt1efi) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Meloni%20promises%20to%20ban%20burqas%2C%20niqabs%20in%20Italy%E2%80%99s%20schools&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fgt1efi) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fgt1efi) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/gt1efi)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      (Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is facing a rising challenge from parties further to the right of her own Brothers of Italy party. [Alberto Pizzoli/AFP])   Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is facing a growing challenge from parties further to the right of her own Brothers of Italy party. [File: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP]   (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458)     By  (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458) Al Jazeera Staff , AFPand Reuters   Published On 20 Sep 2026 20 Sep 2026    Italy will ban burqas and niqabs in schools, as well as limit the number of foreign students in classes, said far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with immigration expected to be a central issue in next year’s general election. Meloni outlined the proposed changes on Sunday at a gathering of the youth wing of her nationalist conservative Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, adding that they would also make Italian language lessons compulsory for parents of foreign students having “serious difficulties integrating into the school system”. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/4/meloni-sets-a-record-leading-italys-longest-serving-government-since-wwii) Meloni sets a record, leading Italy’s longest-serving government since WWII  list 2 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2026/9/10/europes-far-right-putins-best-friend) Europe’s far right: Putin’s best friend?  list 3 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/10/un-expert-albanese-protesters-warn-against-italys-anti-semitism-bill) ‘Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism’: Protesters warn against Italian bill   end of list  “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,” she said to a standing ovation at the Gioventu Nazionale national festival in Rome. “It is the only serious way to welcome them.” Once approved by the government, the changes would need parliamentary approval within 60 days to pass into law. Meloni’s right-wing administration is Italy’s (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/4/meloni-sets-a-record-leading-italys-longest-serving-government-since-wwii) longest-running government since the end of the Second World War , but her party is expected to face a serious challenge in 2027 from the National Future (FN) party, which is further to the right of the FdI and its popularity has been rapidly increasing in polls since February. FN called for a crackdown on the wearing of burqas in schools in July. Law on face coverings Burqas are full-face veils sometimes worn by Muslim women that hide the entire face, including the eyes. Niqabs are similar, but the eyes are visible. Neither covering is expressly banned in Italy, but a 1975 law prohibits the use of helmets or garments that make identification difficult without a justified reason. Advertisement    A 2008 ruling later clarified that full-face coverings may be worn for religious or cultural reasons if the face is revealed when identity verification is required. However, the anti-immigrant League party, which is part of Meloni’s ruling coalition, submitted a bill earlier this year that would ban helmets or garments, except in specific circumstances such as sporting events or places of worship. Alongside the burqa ban, Meloni said she would implement a legal cap on the number of foreign students per class. However, a 30 percent limit on foreign students per class and school already exists under Italian law and Meloni did not spell out how that would change. Foreign students currently make up about 12 percent of enrolment in Italian schools.                 aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss     (https://bsky.app/profile/aljazeera.com) bluesky     (https://www.tiktok.com/@aljazeeraenglish) tiktok-colored-outline                  (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network