Italy’s League (Lega) party, part of the ruling coalition led by Giorgia Meloni, introduced a bill in parliament on Monday to ban the burka and niqab in public places.
The document envisages penalties for those who force women to wear face-covering clothing: up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 30,000 euros and a ban on citizenship.
The League’s proposal toughens an existing 1975 law that prohibits covering the face in public places, but provides exceptions for religious ceremonies and medical reasons. The new bill proposes to repeal these relaxations.
Deputy Prime Minister and League party leader Matteo Salvini backed the initiative, saying, “There will be no tolerance for those who do not respect our culture and the principles of Western freedom.”
The opposition opposed the bill. Luana Zanella of the Green party said it was not about women’s rights but about “unnecessary fuelling of Islamophobia.” The discussion of the initiative in parliament sparked a heated debate.
