Italy's ruling Brothers of Italy party today submitted a law that would ban the burqa and niqab in public places, part of a broader fight against what they call the "cultural separatism" of Islam.
The measure, proposed in parliament by lawmakers from Prime Minister Giorgia Maloney's party, would ban the wearing of clothing that covers the face in all public places, including schools, universities, shops and offices across the country.
What is a burqa and what is a niqab?
The burqa covers a woman's entire body, from head to toe, including a veil over her face. The niqab is a face veil with an opening for the eyes. Violators of the proposed measure face fines of 300 to 3.000 euros, Reuters reports.
The introductory text of the law states that the goal is to combat "religious radicalization and hatred motivated by religion."
The first country to introduce such a ban was France in 2011. Since then, the list has expanded significantly, to more than 20 countries around the world, including Austria, Tunisia, Turkey, Sri Lanka and Switzerland.
The European Court of Human Rights has consistently upheld such bans, including in 2017 when it concluded in a case against Belgium that states have the right to introduce them to protect the "coexistence" of society.
Already banned in some regions
Some Italian regions already have such bans, such as northern Lombardy, which banned the wearing of burqas or niqabs in public institutions and hospitals in 2015.
The new law will also introduce stricter financial oversight of religious organizations that do not have formal agreements with the Italian state, which no Muslim organization currently has. The measure also provides for new penalties, such as virginity testing, and toughens penalties for forced marriages.
The Brothers of Italy and their coalition partners have a strong majority in parliament, meaning the measure will pass easily, but it has not yet been determined when it will be discussed.
