Meloni's Record-Breaking Government Pushes New School Rules on Burqas and Foreign Students

Italy's government has just made history, and for the roughly 5,000 expats and internationals with school-age children in Italy, the news comes with a warning: the rules of the classroom are about to change. On September 20, 2026, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced plans to ban burqas and niqabs in schools and to cap the number of foreign students per class, framing both as integration measures. The proposals, which also include compulsory Italian lessons for parents of foreign students with "serious difficulties integrating," are now on a 60-day parliamentary clock (Al Jazeera).

This is not just another policy tweak. It comes just two weeks after Meloni's government, led by the far-right Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d'Italia, FdI), became the country's longest-serving administration since World War II, surpassing Silvio Berlusconi's record of 1,412 consecutive days in power (Al Jazeera). For a country that has churned through 68 governments in eight decades, that longevity is unprecedented. But for the international community in Italy, the political milestone comes with a new set of practical questions.

What's being proposed?

Speaking at the Gioventù Nazionale (National Youth) festival in Rome, Meloni said: "For us, anyone who comes to Italy and wants to build their future here must learn our language, understand our culture, and respect our rules. It is the only serious way to welcome them" (Al Jazeera). The plan has three prongs: a ban on burqas and niqabs on school grounds, a cap on the number of foreign students per class, and mandatory Italian language courses for parents of foreign students who are struggling to integrate.

For context, neither the burqa nor the niqab is currently banned outright in Italy. A 1975 law prohibits clothing that hinders identification, and a 2008 court ruling allowed full-face veils for religious purposes, but only in certain contexts (Al Jazeera). The new proposal would change that, at least within school walls.

The exact cap on foreign students hasn't been specified yet, but the government has said it will be defined in the decree. The 60-day parliamentary approval window means the measures could become law as early as late November 2026—or die in committee if opposition parties rally enough votes.

Why now?

Meloni's announcement is widely seen as a move to shore up her base ahead of the 2027 general election. Her party, FdI, is facing a serious challenge from the National Future (FN) party, which is even further to the right and has been surging in polls since February. FN called for a crackdown on burqas in schools back in July, and Meloni's proposal effectively outflanks them on their own turf (Al Jazeera).

The timing is also notable because of the record-breaking milestone. On September 4, 2026, Meloni's government celebrated 1,413 days in office, a feat celebrated by supporters in the mountain resort of Abetone Cutigliano, a town that voted overwhelmingly for FdI in 2022. "Ten years ago, this result would have been unthinkable," said Andrea Tonarelli, a local FdI councillor, in an interview with Al Jazeera (Al Jazeera).

What does this mean for you?

If you're an expat parent in Italy, here's the practical takeaway: if the measures pass, your child's school could see a change in classroom composition. The cap on foreign students per class could mean that international schools—which are private and often exempt from such quotas—become more attractive, but at a cost. Public schools, which are already overstretched, may see longer waiting lists for Italian-language support programs.

For parents who don't speak Italian well, the compulsory lessons could be a hurdle. The government hasn't defined what "serious difficulties integrating" means yet, but it's likely to be based on teacher assessments and language proficiency tests. If you're a parent of a foreign student, you may want to start brushing up on your Italian now—or at least keep an eye on the parliamentary debate.

What's next?

The 60-day window is crucial. If parliament doesn't approve the measures within that time, they lapse. But with Meloni's coalition holding a majority, passage is likely, though not guaranteed. The Senate, in particular, could amend the proposals, especially the controversial ban on religious garments.

For now, the international community in Italy is watching closely. As one expat parent in Rome told me, "We came here for the culture and the food, but now we're wondering if our kids will be welcomed in the classroom." That's a question only the Italian parliament can answer.