Austria has passed a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under the age of 14. The measure will apply to girls in both public and private schools.
The terms of the new law mean girls under 14 will be forbidden from wearing traditional Muslim head coverings such as hijabs or burkas. Parents would face fines ranging from 150 to 800 euros for repeated non-compliance.
Members of the government say this is about empowering young girls, arguing it is to protect them from oppression.
In 2020, a similar headscarf ban for girls under 10 was struck down by the Constitutional Court.
Before Thursday’s vote, Yannick Shetty, the parliamentary leader of the liberal Neos, the most junior party in the ruling coalition, defended the ban. He told the lower house: “This is not about restricting freedom, but about protecting the freedom of girls up to 14.
“It [the headscarf] is not just an item of clothing. It serves, particularly with minors, to shield girls from the male gaze. It sexualises girls,” he said.
The ban is expected to take effect at the start of the new school year in September, with families facing fines of up to €800 (£700) for repeated non-compliance. A soft launch of the legislation will begin in February as the new rules are explained to educators, parents and children.
Thursday’s legislation marks the second time that a government led by the centre-right People’s party (ÖVP) has set its sights on the headscarf. In 2019, as part of a coalition that included the far right, Austria introduced a ban on headscarves for girls under 10 years of age.