Italy Backs School Veil Ban and 30% Cap for First-Year Classes

Italy's government has approved a decree law that bans the burqa and niqab in schools and sets a 30% ceiling on first-year pupils without Italian citizenship or with poor Italian. BBC

The ceiling applies only to the first year of primary, middle and high school. It uses either of two tests. One is lack of Italian citizenship. The other is poor knowledge of Italian. So it can capture some foreign nationals with good Italian, and some Italian nationals with weak Italian, depending on assessment.

The veil rule turns on face visibility. It covers the burqa and niqab, which cover the face. It does not cover the hijab, which leaves the face visible. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated the rule as: "You must go to school with your face uncovered".

Meloni described the package as "common-sense tools that do not divide but really help to integrate". Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said the pupil limit is "purely linguistic" rather than one of citizenship.

The instrument is a decree law, like a temporary order from the government. It can take effect at once. Parliament must ratify it, or confirm it, within 60 days.

The approval was trailed in advance. Meloni had said a package including a ban on burqas and niqabs in schools would soon go before the cabinet. Euronews The school action also sits beside a broader legislative track. In October 2025, the ruling Brothers of Italy party proposed legislation to ban the burqa and niqab in public spaces, with provisions that also addressed religious funding. Reuters

The broader context here is the choice of schools as the place to act. Language and visibility both shape classroom exchange. The government links both to integration. That link is the stated logic. It is also where critics are likely to contest the design.

In my view, the citizenship-versus-language distinction deserves close attention. Citizenship can be checked in documents. Language must be evaluated with the pupil. Valditara points to language as the operative test. On its own terms, the credibility of the cap will depend on assessment standards, timing and support for pupils who fall below them.

Looking at what this means for implementation, two practical questions stand out. First, how schools record and apply the 30% threshold at enrolment. Second, how they handle face-covering cases in daily practice. Both require consistent application across thousands of classrooms. Inconsistency could invite dispute.

Looking ahead to the vote, the 60-day ratification clock adds a further layer. A decree creates immediate duties. Parliament keeps the final word. That interval allows scrutiny of definitions and thresholds. It also tests cohesion in the majority and the response of the opposition. The text in force now matters. The text that survives conversion matters more.