Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said a package of measures will soon go before the Italian cabinet, including a ban on burqas and niqabs in schools, a requirement for parents of pupils facing “serious difficulties integrating” into the national school system to learn Italian, and a limit on places for foreign pupils — Euronews informs.
Meloni’s announcement comes after several related initiatives in recent months.
The new rules refer specifically to a ban on burqas and niqabs. A burqa traditionally covers the entire body and includes a mesh over the eyes, while a niqab covers the face, leaving only the eyes visible. A hijab, by contrast, covers the hair and neck but leaves the face uncovered.
Several European countries have introduced restrictions on face coverings in public spaces.
France imposed a nationwide ban on concealing the face in public places in April 2011, a measure later upheld by the European Court of Human Rights.
