Austria’s government has approved a controversial new law that will ban headscarves for girls under 14 in all schools starting next year, escalating a long-running national debate over identity, integration and religious expression.
The measure, passed by the country’s centrist ruling coalition, follows years of pressure from Austria’s far-right parties, which have pushed for tighter restrictions on visible religious symbols in public spaces. The government defended the law as a step toward ensuring what it calls “neutral learning environments,” but Muslim organisations and human rights advocates say it unfairly targets Muslim girls and deepens discrimination.
Education authorities confirmed that once the law takes effect, schools will be required to report violations, with parents potentially facing penalties. Critics warn that the policy will isolate students and could push families away from mainstream education.
Austria has introduced similar restrictions in the past, including a 2019 attempt to ban headscarves in primary schools, later struck down by the Constitutional Court for being discriminatory. Legal challenges are widely expected again.
The law arrives at a sensitive moment in European politics, with several countries revisiting religious dress rules amid rising debates over immigration and cultural integration.
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