Meloni Plans School Veil Ban, Foreign-Pupil Caps

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Sunday that her government will soon submit legislation to cap foreign students in each classroom, ban burqas and niqabs in schools, and require Italian lessons for parents of foreign students with serious integration difficulties. She spoke to a standing ovation at the Gioventu Nazionale festival in Rome before Brothers of Italy's youth wing. "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. It is the only serious way to welcome them," she said. Foreign students are about 11.6% of Italy's school population, per Fondazione ISMU. An existing rule caps foreign students at 30% per class or school; Meloni did not name a new limit. She targeted burqas and niqabs and did not mention the hijab. Current law and court decisions allow face coverings for religious or cultural reasons if identity can be verified. The measure needs parliamentary approval within 60 days to become law. The announcement comes ahead of next year's general election. Earlier this month her government became Italy's longest-serving uninterrupted administration since World War II. One right-rated outlet's headline referred to a hijab ban, which she did not propose.