Meloni to Propose School Ban on Burqas and Niqabs, Cap on Foreign Students
Italy's Giorgia Meloni says she will bring a measure to government banning burqas and niqabs in schools and limiting foreign student numbers.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said her government will soon introduce a measure that would bar the wearing of burqas and niqabs in schools and place a cap on the number of foreign students in classrooms.
Speaking on Sunday to the youth wing of her nationalist conservative Brothers of Italy party, Meloni said the proposal would also require Italian language lessons for parents of foreign students who are facing serious difficulties integrating into the school system.
"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 the Gioventù Nazionale national festival in Rome, drawing a standing ovation. "It is the only serious way to welcome them."
The measure specifically targets the burqa, an all-covering garment worn by some Muslim women, and the niqab, a veil that leaves at most only the eyes visible. Meloni did not mention the hijab, the headscarf worn by some Muslim women.
Once approved by the government, the measure would require parliamentary approval within 60 days to become law.
Meloni, whose political roots lie on the far right, has taken a hard line on migration throughout her career. During her time as prime minister, however, she has shifted from a nationalist outsider to an established figure among European Union leaders.
She is also seeking to shore up her popularity ahead of a general election next year, rolling out a series of policies aimed at that goal, including an exemption from a widely disliked property tax on small- and medium-sized cars and scooters.
Earlier this month, her conservative administration became Italy's longest-serving uninterrupted government since World War II.