Italy Eyes Capping Foreign Students, Banning Face Coverings in Schools

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced plans to introduce legislation that would cap the number of foreign students in Italian classrooms and ban face-covering garments, including burqas and niqabs, in schools. Meloni stated that the proposed measures are intended to foster integration, preserve Italian cultural identity, and ensure that native Italian children do not feel marginalized.

"There’s no way that in an Italian classroom, the ones who feel marginalized are Italian children because they have become a minority," Meloni said during a speech in Rome. The legislation aims to prevent a situation where non-Italian students become the majority in a classroom, which she described as "abandonment" rather than integration.

The proposal would set limits on the number of non-Italian students in individual classrooms to avoid high concentrations in specific districts. While the exact cap has not been specified, the government also plans to require mandatory Italian-language lessons for parents of foreign pupils who face integration challenges. Meloni emphasized that those who choose to build a future in Italy must learn the language, understand the culture, and respect the rules.

According to Italy’s Education Ministry, students who do not hold Italian citizenship constitute approximately 11.6% of school enrollment nationwide. The proposed ban on face coverings explicitly targets burqas and niqabs in educational institutions, while allowing other forms of Islamic dress like the hijab.

The Brothers of Italy party reinforced Meloni's message, stating on X that "School is attended with one's face uncovered. No tradition can impose on a young woman the obligation to hide herself." They added that integration is achieved through knowledge of the language, respect for rules, and protection of cultural identity.

Several European countries, including France and Belgium, have previously implemented bans on face coverings in public spaces, though their enforcement and legal frameworks vary. The proposed Italian legislation is expected to be reviewed by the Council of Ministers before being submitted to Parliament.

Meloni, who has led the Brothers of Italy party since 2014 and served as president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party from 2020 to 2025, has been prime minister of Italy since 2022.