Italy’s Council of Ministers approved a new school decree on 24 September 2026 that prohibits students from participating in school activities with their faces covered, including wearing the burqa or niqab. The measure applies to curricular and extracurricular activities, as well as school-family meetings, with exceptions for specific health or security reasons.
The decree provides for an administrative fine of €200 to €1,000 for violations. When the person with their face covered is a minor, the fine is applied to the parent or person with parental responsibility. The government says the measure is part of a broader package concerning integration and the Italian school system.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the measures as intended to support integration and ensure equal opportunities in schools.
The Italian government presents the measure as part of its wider integration and education policy. However, Muslim advocates and other critics have questioned whether a specific ban on religious face coverings is necessary or proportionate, and some have questioned whether integration is the only consideration behind the measure.