Austria is preparing for it prohibits female students under 14 from wearing the hijab at school. This was announced by the Minister for Europe, Integration and Family, Claudia Plakolm (Ovp), explaining that the bill would soon be discussed in Parliament. The ban is expected to come into effect from the start of the next school year. According to Plakolm, whose party is part of the European Popular Party family, the veil does not represent a religious ritual, but rather instills “feelings of shame” in girls, favoring a “distorted body image” and “unstable self-esteem”.
The previous law on the hijab desired by the people-led government was rejected by the Constitutional Court in 2019, but the current executive – consisting of the OVP, social democrats and liberals – believes that this time the law will be passed, also considering the increase in the number of Muslim students under 14, which has increased from 3 thousand to 12 thousand. The bill stipulates that if a violation occurs, teachers must notify parents first. In case of repeat violations, fines of up to 800 euros are expected to be imposed.
Criticism came from the Austrian Islamic communitywhich he said the government was more concerned with “exploiting anti-Islam sentiment” than protecting the welfare of children. The topic fits a political context marked by the rise of anti-immigration parties, culminating in the success of the ultra-right FPO, the first party in the 2024 elections but which remains in opposition after the failure of negotiations with the OVP.
