Beyond the Burqa: Italy proposes nationwide ban on Islamic face coverings, mosque funding

Why Italy wants to ban Islamic face coverings, religious funding (File image: AFP)

Italy’s ruling Brothers of Italy party has announced plans to introduce a bill banning the burqa and niqab in all public spaces, describing it as a move against “Islamic separatism.”

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party said the legislation seeks to combat “religious radicalisation and religiously motivated hatred.” It would prohibit face-covering garments in schools, universities, offices, and shops, with fines ranging from €300 to €3,000 for violations.

The proposed law also toughens penalties for forced marriages and criminalises virginity testing, defining these as “cultural crimes.” It introduces provisions for prosecuting religious coercion and imposes transparency requirements on religious organisations that lack formal agreements with the Italian state, a category that includes all Muslim organisations.

Under the proposal, these groups would have to disclose foreign funding and accept restrictions on donations from entities considered a security threat.

Lawmaker Andrea Delmastro, one of the bill’s initiators, said, “Religious freedom is sacred, but it must be exercised in the open, in full respect of our constitution and the principles of the Italian state.”

Sara Kelany, the party’s head of immigration, added, “It is a bill that will essentially deal with regulating the funding of mosques, and with preventing and banning the use of the full-face veil. It also emphasises the legislation against forced marriages. In Italy, we apply our laws, which are based on a specific set of values.”

The party drew inspiration from France, which implemented a full burqa ban in 2011, followed by several European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, and Austria.

Delmastro said, “We have taken inspiration for this law from staunchly secular France, with the deep conviction that no foreign funding should ever undermine our sovereignty or our civilization.”

Supporters say the law is intended to preserve national security and prevent the formation of “parallel societies.” As Galeazzo Bignami, a senior party leader, told Financial Times, the measures aim to defend Italy from “all forms of extremism and any attempt to create parallel societies on Italian soil.”

However, Muslim groups have condemned the proposal, warning it could deepen social divides. “Freedom of choice is a fundamental principle in a democratic society — no state should dictate how a woman should dress,” said Yassine Lafram, president of the Union of Islamic Communities of Italy. “Any legislative measures that impose blanket bans risk creating social tensions and discrimination rather than fostering integration and dialogue.”

According to Italy’s Islamic associations, around 2 million Muslims live in the country, most of them migrant workers and their families. The Pew Research Center estimated in 2020 that the figure could be closer to 3 million, roughly 5% of Italy’s population.

While a 1975 Italian law already bans full-face coverings in public, it does not explicitly mention the burqa or niqab. Some regions, such as Lombardy, have local restrictions on entering public buildings or hospitals with covered faces.

Italy’s proposal comes amid a broader European debate on religious expression and secularism. The European Court of Human Rights has upheld such bans, ruling in 2017 that states may restrict face veils to protect the principle of “living together” in society.