Giorgia Meloni has called for a burka and niqab ban in public places across Italy with fines of up to £2,600 as part of sweeping legislation to stop what her government describes as “Islamic separatism”.
The bill, presented to parliament by the Italian Prime Minister’s Brothers of Italy party on Wednesday, would see those wearing the face-covering garments in shops, offices, schools and universities fined between £260 and £2,600.
The proposed legislation will also introduce criminal penalties for “cultural crimes” including virginity testing and increase punishments for forced marriages to up to 10 years in prison, with religious coercion now grounds for prosecution.
The bill would prohibit garments covering the face in all public places, schools, universities, shops, and offices nationwide, with violators facing fines of €300 to €3,000 (approximately £260 to £2,600).
The legislation was aimed at combating “religious radicalisation and religiously-motivated hatred”, according to the introductory text.
The draft legislation contains stark language about the threat posed by Islamic fundamentalism in Italy. “The spread of Islamic fundamentalism undeniably constitutes the breeding ground for Islamist terrorism,” an introduction to the proposed law stated.
The bill will also pile extra scrutiny on funding for mosques and Islamic education institutions by imposing transparency rules on the financing of organisations that have not reached formal agreements with the Italian state.
No Muslim organisations currently have such agreements, meaning they would have to disclose all funding sources. Groups which pose threats to state security will be unable to provide funding.
Burkas, a full-body garment, and niqabs, a veil for the face, are already restricted in parts of Italy. Northern Lombardy banned anyone entering public buildings with face coverings in 2015.
Ms Meloni’s right-wing coalition government has a strong majority and the new bill, which will extend the ban nationwide, is likely to pass, although no formal schedule has been set for parliamentary debate.
Galeazzo Bignami, parliamentary leader of the Brothers of Italy, presented the bill to the lower house alongside justice undersecretary Andrea Delmastro and other party lawmakers.
Sara Kelany, a co-sponsor of the bill and FdI MP, explained: “It serves to counter the emergence of enclaves, counter-societies where Shari’a law, rather than the Italian legal system, applies, and where Islamic fundamentalism thrives.”
Kelany said there was an obvious need for “crackdowns on Islamic fundamentalism and religious separatism” to “defend Western values based on freedom, equality, and respect for human rights.
The MP argued that the siloing of communities and diverse groups has allowed the establishment of parallel societies in Italy. She claimed women being forced to cover up undermined them, stating: “Erasing a woman’s face means humiliating her. Some talk about free choice, but I find it hard to believe a woman would want to humiliate herself.”
Kelany also criticised the left’s approach to the issue, saying: “The left, blinded by ideological do-goodism and fearful of being accused of Islamophobia, on the one hand cries out about patriarchy, while on the other remains silent on these intolerable phenomena.”
Ms Meloni’s coalition partner the League, led by Matteo Salvini, earlier this year unveiled a more limited bill on face coverings. It is currently under review in a parliamentary commission and it was not clear if it would be merged with this new bill proposal.
Around two million Muslims are estimated to live in Italy, representing a growing proportion of the population. Statistics show a steady increase in the Islamic population in Italy: if in 2015 Muslims accounted for 26.3 per cent of the total number of immigrants, by 2024 their share reached 29.8 per cent.
Muslim groups have hit out at the bill for alienating them rather than promoting religious harmony. Critics argue the legislation targets religious minorities and could deepen social divisions rather than fostering integration.
However, supporters maintain the measures are necessary for security reasons and to ensure citizens can identify who they are dealing with in public spaces. They argue the legislation promotes integration rather than allowing segregated communities to develop.
France became the first European country to introduce a nationwide ban on burkas in 2011. Since then, more than 20 countries worldwide have implemented some form of restriction on full-face coverings in public.
Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Turkey, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands and Switzerland have all followed suit and introduced some form of the ban. Tunisia has also imposed restrictions on the burka in certain contexts.
The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly upheld the bans. In 2017, the court upheld Belgium’s ban, ruling that states may restrict such garments to protect “living together” in society.
In Italy, the current law dates back to 1975 and includes a general ban on face concealment in public places, though enforcement has varied and specific exemptions have been granted for religious and cultural practices.
The new legislation would strengthen and clarify these existing provisions, removing ambiguities and establishing clear penalties for violations whilst explicitly targeting Islamic face coverings as part of a broader package of measures.
Beyond the face-covering ban, the bill includes provisions to combat practices the government views as incompatible with Western values and Italian law.
Criminal penalties will be introduced for virginity testing, a practice associated with certain conservative communities that human rights groups have long campaigned to outlaw. The government argues such tests violate women’s dignity and bodily autonomy.
Punishments for forced marriages will be significantly increased, with sentences of up to 10 years in prison possible. The legislation specifically adds religious coercion as grounds for prosecution, allowing authorities to pursue cases where religious pressure is used to compel marriage.
The transparency requirements for mosque funding represent another significant element of the proposal. Religious organisations without formal agreements with the Italian state will be required to disclose all sources of financing, both domestic and foreign.
This provision aims to prevent funding from entities deemed hostile to Italian interests or linked to extremism. The government argues greater transparency will help combat radicalisation whilst allowing legitimate religious practice to continue.
Critics of the bill warn it risks stigmatising Italy’s Muslim population and could prove counterproductive in efforts to promote integration and combat extremism. They argue such measures may drive vulnerable individuals towards more radical elements by creating a sense of persecution.
Civil liberties groups have also raised concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the potential for discriminatory enforcement of the legislation.
However, proponents point to similar measures implemented across Europe and argue that protecting public safety and promoting social cohesion justify the restrictions. They maintain the bill targets practices incompatible with Italian and European values rather than Islam itself.
The debate reflects broader tensions across Europe over how to balance religious freedom, women’s rights, security concerns and integration of immigrant communities. Similar discussions have played out in France, Belgium, Germany and other nations grappling with these issues.
UK politician Nigel Farage has previously branded face veils “anti-British” and expressed support for restrictions on their use in public spaces, reflecting similar debates in British politics.
With Ms Meloni’s coalition holding a comfortable majority in both chambers of parliament, the legislation stands a strong chance of passing once it comes up for debate and vote. The timing of parliamentary proceedings remains unclear, but passage within the coming months appears likely.
If enacted, Italy would join a growing list of European nations with comprehensive restrictions on Islamic face coverings, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to religious expression in public spaces.
The bill represents one of the most comprehensive legislative packages targeting what the Italian government characterises as Islamic separatism, combining restrictions on religious practice with measures aimed at protecting women from coercive cultural practices.
Whether the legislation achieves its stated aims of promoting integration and combating extremism, or instead alienates Muslim communities and deepens social divisions, will likely be debated for years to come as Italy navigates the complex challenges of diversity, security and social cohesion.
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Image Credit:
Giorgia Meloni — official portrait (2023, cropped), licensed under CC BY 4.0.
