Italy is preparing to ban face coverings in schools and introduce a legal cap on the number of foreign students allowed per class, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Sunday at a youth gathering organized by her Brothers of Italy party. The measures, which will soon be brought before a Cabinet meeting, also require parents of foreign students facing serious integration difficulties to learn Italian. Meloni framed the policies as necessary to address integration challenges in Italian schools, where debates over religious symbols, cultural assimilation, and immigration policy regularly divide public opinion.
Non-Italian citizens make up 11.6% of students enrolled in Italian schools — nearly 12 in every 100 pupils — according to data from Fondazione ISMU, a research institution. More than one-third of Italian teachers work in schools where over 10% of students are non-native speakers, highlighting the scope of language integration obstacles across the education system. Italy's central Mediterranean location makes it among the European nations most exposed to migrant arrivals, turning migration into a hot-button issue and a major challenge for successive governments.
Meloni told the gathering that "if there is only one child in a class who doesn't understand Italian, that child will likely be able to learn the language and integrate quickly with the help of classmates and teachers." However, she added, "if the number of children who don't understand the language becomes large — or even the majority — that is no longer integration; it is neglect." On the face-covering ban, Meloni stated: "You must go to school with your face uncovered, and in Italy no one, in the name of a real or supposed tradition, can decide that a young woman must hide herself." The prime minister did not specify what the maximum number of foreign students per class would be under the proposed cap.
The measures reflect a broader European trend toward restricting full-face veils in educational settings. As of late 2025, similar bans existed in Austria, France, Belgium, Denmark, and other countries, according to the report. The integration of migrants, particularly those from Muslim-majority nations, remains contentious in Italian politics and society, with debates over citizenship rules and immigration policy frequently polarizing the public. Meloni's announcement at the youth wing event underscored her right-wing credentials on an issue that has shaped political discourse across successive Italian administrations.
The proposed rules signal a tougher stance on classroom integration at a time when Italy grapples with managing migrant flows and balancing cultural diversity with social cohesion. With nearly one in eight students in Italian schools holding non-Italian citizenship, the government is betting that caps on foreign enrollment and language requirements for parents will accelerate assimilation rather than hinder it. The measures await formal Cabinet approval, but Meloni's public commitment suggests the policies will move forward quickly.