European Nations' Face-Covering Restrictions Compared as Italy Considers New Rule

Rome – As Italy prepares to introduce a ban on full‑face veils in schools, the move adds to a patchwork of European regulations that limit face‑covering garments in public life.

France enacted a nationwide ban in 2011, followed by Belgium the same year. Bulgaria extended the restriction to government and educational facilities in 2016, while Austria introduced a public‑space prohibition in 2017. Denmark’s 2018 law bars face coverings across the country, and the Netherlands applies partial bans in schools, hospitals and public transport since 2019.

Switzerland adopted a federal ban in 2023, and Portugal introduced a similar rule in August 2026. In Germany, no uniform ban exists, but certain public‑servant roles and several states have imposed limits, especially in schools and universities.

Italy’s draft focuses exclusively on classrooms, targeting the burqa and niqab while leaving the hijab untouched because it leaves the face visible. The proposal also includes caps on foreign‑student numbers and compulsory Italian‑language training for immigrant families.

If the cabinet approves the text, it will require parliamentary consent before becoming law, joining a growing list of European countries that seek to balance religious freedom with public‑order concerns.