Among them, a ban on face veils: Meloni announces new measures in Italian schools

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Sunday that the government intends to ban wearing face veils in schools and impose a maximum number of foreign students in each classroom, a move underscoring her alignment with the right wing.

Italy is one of the most exposed European countries to migrant flows due to its central location in the Mediterranean Sea, making migration a central issue and ongoing challenge for successive governments.

Integration of migrants, especially those from Muslim-majority countries, remains one of the most controversial issues in Italian politics and society, according to Reuters.

Discussions about religion, cultural integration, citizenship laws, and immigration policies often divide public opinion.

Meloni said at an annual gathering of her party's youth wing, Brothers of Italy, "A draft decree setting a legal cap on the number of foreign students in each classroom will soon be presented to the Council of Ministers. The proposal also requires parents of foreign students facing significant difficulties integrating into the education system to learn Italian, and bans wearing burqas and face veils in schools."

She added: "If there is just one child in the classroom who does not understand Italian, that child is likely to quickly learn the language and integrate with help from classmates and teachers. But if the number of children who do not understand the language increases, or even becomes the majority, this is no longer integration—it is neglect."

Meloni did not specify the exact maximum number of foreign students per classroom.

Research data from the ISMU foundation shows that non-Italian students make up 11.6% of those enrolled in Italian schools, equivalent to nearly 12 students out of every 100.

Meloni stated, "You should go to school with your face uncovered. No one in Italy, under the guise of a real or claimed tradition, should force a young woman to hide herself."