Italy eyes burqa ban and cap on foreign students in classrooms

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Sunday her intention to introduce a government measure that would limit the number of foreign students in classrooms and prohibit the wearing of burqas and niqabs in schools. Speaking to the youth wing of her nationalist conservative Brothers of Italy party, Meloni emphasized that the rules would also require parents of foreign students facing integration challenges in the school system to enroll them in Italian language lessons.

Meloni's statement was met with a standing ovation at the Gioventù Nazionale national festival in Rome, where she stated that anyone who comes to Italy and seeks to build their future there must learn the Italian language, understand the culture, and respect the country's rules. The prime minister specifically singled out the burqa, an all-covering dress donned by some Muslim women, and the niqab, the veil worn by the most conservative Muslim women, which leaves only the eyes visible. However, she did not mention the hijab, the headscarf worn by some Muslim women.

If approved by the government, the proposed measure would require parliamentary approval within 60 days to become law. Meloni, who has roots in the far-right, has historically been known for her hawkish stance on migration. However, she has evolved politically during her tenure as prime minister, moving from a nationalist outlier to a more establishment figure within the European Union.

To boost her popularity ahead of the general election next year, Meloni has introduced several policies that are aimed at achieving this goal, including an exemption from a disliked property tax on small- and medium-sized cars and scooters.

Earlier this month, Meloni's conservative administration became Italy's longest-serving uninterrupted government since World War II, a feat that was reported by Maria Grazia Murru of The Associated Press.