Italy moves to ban face coverings and limit foreign pupils in schools with new law

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Italy Bans Face Coverings and Caps Foreign Pupils

   Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government in Italy has approved new school rules that ban face coverings, including the burqa and niqab, inside classrooms. The legislation also introduces a cap on students who do not speak fluent Italian or are newly arrived. Critics have accused the government of shifting rightward ahead of upcoming political contests, while supporters defend the measures as necessary steps for integration and classroom management. The restrictions are scheduled to take effect starting from the next school year.

   Why it matters

   Schools have increasingly become political battlegrounds in Italy as the country grapples with high levels of migration across the Mediterranean. Integration remains a central and contentious theme in domestic politics, particularly with the 2027 election on the horizon. The latest decree places strict limits on cultural and linguistic diversity within educational institutions.

   What is confirmed

   • Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government passed new school rules capping the number of students who do not speak fluent Italian and banning face coverings.
   • The legislation places a 30% cap per class on newly arrived foreign pupils with insufficient Italian, starting from the next school year.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Critics accused Giorgia Meloni of shifting to the right and implementing a shameful cap on foreign children for political gain ahead of elections.

   What to watch next

   • Implementation of the new 30% cap on foreign pupils in classrooms for the upcoming school year
   • Enforcement and legal challenges regarding the face covering ban in Italian schools
   • Political reactions and campaigning developments ahead of the 2027 election
   Sources used for this update (13)

   1. www.globalbankingandfinance.com — Beset by far-right rival, Italy's Meloni tightens foreign pupil rules
   2. The New York Times — Italy Moves to Cap Number of Foreign Students in Its Classrooms
   3. bbc.com — Italy ministers agree to ban burqa and niqab in school and cap foreigners in class
   4. Al Jazeera — Meloni government bans burqas, caps foreign students in Italian schools
   5. AP News — Italy decrees limits on non-Italian speakers and veils in school classrooms
   6. dw.com — Italy to ban burqa in schools, limit foreign pupils
   7. The Guardian — Meloni accused of election shift to right after ’shameful’ cap on foreign children in classrooms
   8. The Times of India — Italy govt decrees limits on non-Italian speakers and veils in school classrooms
   9. Euronews.com — Italy moves to ban face coverings and limit foreign pupils in schools with new law
   10. www.dw.com — Italy to ban burqa in schools, limit foreign pupils - dw.com
   11. www.aljazeera.com — Meloni government bans burqas, caps foreign students in ...
   12. www.thenationalnews.com — Italy's Giorgia Meloni limits foreign pupils in schools and ...
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