ROME (Realist English). Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s ruling party has introduced a draft law that would ban face coverings such as the burka and niqab in public spaces and tighten oversight of Islamic organisations, in what it describes as a campaign against “Islamic separatism” and “religious extremism.”
The proposal, tabled on Wednesday by lawmakers from Meloni’s Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia) party, would prohibit the use of full-face Islamic veils in public places including schools, offices, and shops. Violators would face fines ranging from €300 to €3,000.
The draft also seeks to restrict foreign funding for mosques and Islamic cultural associations by requiring detailed financial reporting and banning donations from individuals or entities deemed to promote “principles contrary to fundamental freedoms or state security.”
“The spread of Islamic fundamentalism undeniably constitutes the breeding ground for Islamist terrorism,” the bill’s introduction states, urging measures to counter “religious radicalisation and hate.”
‘Defending Italian identity’
Galeazzo Bignami, leader of the Brothers of Italy in parliament and one of the bill’s sponsors, said the legislation aims to defend the country from “all forms of extremism and attempts to create parallel societies.”
Co-sponsor Sara Kelany added that Italy “cannot tolerate enclaves where sharia law prevails over Italian law,” saying the bill promotes “integration, legality, and the defence of Western values.”
The proposals come amid rising debate over Islam’s visibility in Italian society and recent controversies involving young Muslim women allegedly forced into arranged marriages abroad. The draft introduces harsher penalties for non-consensual arranged marriages — up to 10 years in prison — and a ban on so-called virginity tests, described as “cultural crimes” against women.
Muslim leaders warn of backlash
Muslim organisations condemned the proposed legislation as discriminatory. Yassine Lafram, president of the Union of Islamic Communities of Italy, said the initiative “undermines freedom of choice and risks fostering division.”
“No state should dictate how a woman should dress,” Lafram said, warning that “blanket bans create social tension and discrimination rather than integration and dialogue.”
Broader European context
Several European countries — including France, Belgium, and Austria — have enacted similar “burka bans,” which the European Court of Human Rights has upheld on the grounds of maintaining “social harmony.”
Italy’s Islamic community, estimated between 2 and 3 million people according to various studies, has grown steadily over recent decades. Critics of the new proposal say it reflects a broader shift by Meloni’s nationalist government toward identity-driven politics at a time of heightened tension over migration and cultural integration.
