The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of the Brothers of Italy party, has announced a new decree aimed at regulating the presence of foreign students in schools and restricting certain religious garments. The proposed measures include a 30% cap on the number of students in classrooms who do not have Italian citizenship, as well as a ban on the burqa and niqab within educational settings.

Prime Minister Meloni has defended the decree, characterizing the policies as "commonsense measures" designed to facilitate better integration within the school system. She stated that the goal is to ensure that schools remain environments that do not divide the student population.

Conversely, the move has drawn sharp criticism from political opponents and advocacy groups. Critics argue that the timing of the decree is intended to appeal to far-right voters ahead of upcoming elections. These detractors have labeled the policy as "shameful" and accused the administration of using divisive rhetoric to consolidate support. While the government maintains that the cap is a practical approach to managing classroom demographics, opponents suggest it unfairly targets migrant children and creates exclusionary barriers in the public education system.