Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party has introduced a bill seeking to ban the wearing of burqas and niqabs in public spaces, citing concerns over “Islamic separatism,” reports said.
The proposed legislation would prohibit the use of garments covering the face in all public places, including shops, schools, and offices.
Violators could face fines ranging from 300 to 3,000 euros (approximately USD 350–3,500), according to local media reports.
Lawmaker Andrea Delmastro, one of the bill’s initiators, said on Facebook: “Religious freedom is sacred, but it must be exercised openly, in compliance with our Constitution and the principles of the Italian state.”
Sara Kelany, head of immigration for the Brothers of Italy, said during a press conference on Wednesday that the bill would also address the regulation of mosque funding and strengthen laws against forced marriages.
“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 emphasizes legislation against forced marriages. In Italy, we apply our laws based on a specific set of values,” Kelany said, as quoted by Politico.
The draft law reportedly includes stricter penalties for forced marriages and requires religious groups not formally recognised by the state to disclose any foreign funding sources.
France became the first country in the world to ban the wearing of full-face veils in public in 2011. Since then, several other nations have introduced similar restrictions on face coverings in public spaces.
