Italy Bans Burqas in Schools and Caps Foreign Student Enrollment per Classroom

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's cabinet has adopted a decree-law prohibiting the burqa and niqab in public schools and imposing a strict 30 percent cap on the number of foreign students per classroom. The measure, approved on Thursday, September 24, represents the most aggressive educational integration policy introduced by the nationalist conservative Brothers of Italy party ahead of the 2027 general elections.[1][2][4]

Under the new regulations, anyone entering school premises wearing face coverings that obscure their identity will face administrative penalties. The decree establishes fines of up to 1,000 euros—equivalent to roughly $1,140—for breaches of the dress code. The text specifically targets the burqa and the niqab, while leaving the hijab, which does not cover the face, unaffected by the restrictions.[1][2][4]

The demographic component of the decree mandates that no more than 30 percent of students in any single classroom can lack an adequate command of the Italian language. If a school's enrollment exceeds this threshold, local education authorities will be required to redistribute the surplus pupils to neighboring districts, though the logistical framework for these transfers remains unspecified in the draft.[2][5]

The policy extends beyond the classroom to the families of enrolled children. If a student demonstrates severe difficulties integrating into the school system, administrators are instructed to contact social services. In such cases, the parents will be legally obligated to attend free Italian language and culture lessons provided by the state.[2][4]

Meloni defended the dual measures as necessary steps for social cohesion rather than punitive restrictions. "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 told supporters at a youth wing festival in Rome on Sunday. "It is the only serious way to welcome them."[4]

Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara provided the statistical basis for the classroom caps, noting that there are currently 34,000 school classes across Italy where foreign nationals constitute more than 30 percent of the student body. Valditara argued that high concentrations of non-native speakers create structural bottlenecks, stating that "inadequate language proficiency hinders educational progress" for the entire cohort.[2]

The 30 percent threshold is not entirely unprecedented in Italian administrative law. A ministerial memorandum originally established a similar limit in 2010, but enforcement was largely abandoned due to demographic realities in northern industrial hubs with high immigrant populations. School principals in those regions have already expressed concern that the renewed, mandatory cap will be mathematically impossible to implement without widespread bussing.[2]

Opposition lawmakers and civil rights groups have characterized the decree as an ideological maneuver designed to outflank the rival far-right National Future party, which had campaigned heavily on a "remigration" platform and demanded a burqa ban in July 2026. Critics argue the government is prioritizing culture-war flashpoints over structural investments in the education sector.[1][6]

Because the measure was passed as a decree-law, it takes effect immediately upon publication but requires formal ratification by the Italian parliament within 60 days to become permanent legislation. The final hurdle rests with President Sergio Mattarella, who must sign off on the text and who publicly warned earlier this week that he remains wary of any administrative barriers being placed on access to education.[1][2][4]