Italy has passed a decree banning face coverings in all schools and capping the proportion of newly arrived foreign pupils with insufficient Italian at 30% per class from the next school year, the government in Rome said on Friday.
The government said the 30% quota applies in primary school to children who do not hold Italian citizenship, were not born in Italy and have not attended an Italian kindergarten for at least two years.
In secondary schools the same rules apply, except that pupils must have attended Italian schools for at least three years – rather than two years of kindergarten – to fall outside the 30% quota.
On face coverings, the decree states that these are not permitted and that the face must be recognizable. The measure is likely aimed primarily at full-face Islamic veils for girls such as the burqa and niqab. No government figures were given on how many children the rule could affect.
“Organizing classes so that they are, let’s say, balanced, is a tool that benefits everyone and promotes integration,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told public broadcaster RAI.
She had already announced the controversial rules the previous week at a youth event held by her far-right Brothers of Italy party. Her Cabinet has now adopted the measures by decree.
Meloni has led Italy’s three-party coalition of far-right and conservative parties since 2022. The 49-year-old ran a successful election campaign at the time on a promise of a tough line against migrants.