Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for a ban on the burka and niqab in public spaces. Her ruling Brothers of Italy party has proposed legislation that would impose fines ranging from £260 to £2,600 for wearing these face-covering garments in schools, universities, shops, and offices. The bill is described as a measure against “Islamic separatism”, aiming to tackle “religious radicalisation and religiously motivated hatred”. It also introduces criminal penalties for virginity testing and strengthens punishment for forced marriages, including those conducted under religious coercion.
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The legislation would impose transparency requirements on Islamic and other religious organisations that lack formal agreements with the Italian state. Currently, no Muslim organisations hold such agreements, meaning they would have to disclose all funding sources, with restrictions applied to entities considered a threat to state security. With Ms Meloni’s coalition holding a strong majority, the bill is expected to pass, though no timetable has been set. Some Italian regions, such as Lombardy, already have restrictions on face coverings in public buildings and hospitals.
Ms Meloni’s coalition partner, the League, has proposed more limited legislation on face coverings earlier this year, which is currently under review in a parliamentary commission. The Italian prime minister has also faced international scrutiny, having been reported to the International Criminal Court along with two ministers for alleged complicity in genocide related to Israel’s offensive in Gaza. This follows recent mass demonstrations across Italy protesting the conflict in Gaza, with critics targeting the prime minister.
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Several European countries have already introduced bans on the burka and other full-face coverings, including France, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, and Tunisia. The European Court of Human Rights has consistently upheld such bans, ruling that states may restrict full-face coverings to protect social cohesion. In the UK, Sir Keir Starmer rejected calls from a Reform UK MP for a ban in June, while Nigel Farage described the burka as “anti-British” and urged a national debate on the issue.
