Muslims in Italy have criticised the government’s decision to ban burqas and niqabs in schools, describing the measure as unnecessary and disproportionate because only a small number of students wear full-face coverings.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the policy as part of her government’s efforts to ensure that students attend school with their faces uncovered. She argued that no tradition should require young women to hide their faces.
According to Italy’s state-run Ansa news agency, an estimated 500 to 600 female students currently wear full-face coverings.
At the al-Wahid Mosque in Milan, high school mathematics teacher Mulayka Laura Enriello said she had never encountered a student wearing a burqa or niqab during her teaching career. She said Muslim girls who wear the hijab generally face no problems at school.
“If a girl shows up at school wearing a burqa, I can’t tell her to go home,” Enriello said, arguing that teachers should treat such students as minors who may believe they are following their religious traditions.
The mosque’s imam, Yahya Pallavicini, described the government’s focus on the burqa and niqab as a “false problem”. He argued that the policy draws disproportionate attention to a practice followed by a very small section of Italy’s Muslim population.
Pallavicini also said the measure could contribute to a distorted perception of Islam and Muslims in Italy.
The government decree does not specifically mention burqas or niqabs. Instead, it prohibits students from participating in school activities while wearing full-face coverings or anything else that prevents identification.
Legal researcher Nico Tonti of the University of Bologna said Parliament could examine whether the measure is proportionate to its objectives and compatible with religious freedom. He noted that Italian law already restricts clothing that makes identification difficult, although exceptions can apply for valid reasons, including religious observance.
The timing of the policy has also attracted political attention. Analysts say Meloni is facing pressure from the right ahead of Italy’s 2027 elections, particularly from former general Roberto Vannacci’s National Future party, which has recently gained support in opinion surveys.
Political institutions professor Lorenzo Castellani said the measure allows Meloni to appeal to voters concerned about immigration, security and national identity while maintaining her government’s political profile.
Meloni’s government has already become the longest-serving administration in Italy’s republican history, surpassing Silvio Berlusconi’s previous record earlier this month.
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