Austria has brought into force a new law banning headscarves and other “traditional Muslim” head coverings for girls under 14 in schools, as the new academic year begins.
The measure applies to both public and private schools and has already sparked criticism from Muslim groups, opposition parties and some teachers, who argue it could fuel anti-Muslim sentiment and face constitutional challenges.
Integration Minister Claudia Bauer of the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) defended the measure, describing the headscarf as “a sign of oppression and a means of controlling girls from the earliest childhood”.
The conservative-led coalition of the ÖVP, Social Democrats (SPÖ) and liberal Neos says the legislation represents a “clear commitment to gender equality” and is intended to protect the rights of young girls.
Muslim community firmly opposes law
Carla Amina Baghajati of the Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ) said the organisation “firmly opposes the ban”. She argued that the legislation unjustifiably restricts freedom of religion and disproportionately affects Muslim girls.
“Rather than protecting children, it singles out a specific religious practice and risks excluding the very children it claims to support,” she said.
The IGGÖ said it would support legal challenges brought by girls and their families who believe their fundamental rights have been infringed and want to take their cases to Austria’s Constitutional Court.
Previous headscarf ban was overturned
The new legislation faces particular scrutiny because Austria’s Constitutional Court struck down a previous headscarf ban in primary schools in 2020.
The court ruled at the time that the measure contravened the principle of religious neutrality in Austria.
The latest law could therefore face fresh legal challenges from affected families.
Under the new rules, teachers are expected to act if they see a child wearing a headscarf at school. The enforcement process begins with a series of discussions involving the student and their legal guardians. If violations continue, child services must be notified.
As a last resort, guardians could face fines of up to €800 (£685). Some teachers have already raised concerns about being placed in the position of enforcing the legislation.
Green Party accuses govt of burdening teachers
Green Party politician Sigi Maurer criticised Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr of the liberal Neos, accusing him of “creating new conflicts and offloading them onto the teachers”.
Maurer said teachers were already “under enormous strain” and accused Wiederkehr of trying to “foist the role of police officers onto them” in addition to their existing responsibilities.
Austria’s opposition far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) argues that the new restrictions do not go far enough. The party is calling for a general ban on headscarves and face coverings in schools that would apply to both students and teachers.
FPÖ politician Ricarda Berger said there was “no place for political Islam in Austria, and certainly not in our schools”.
Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker, who leads the ÖVP, has also recently called for a constitutional ban on political Islam.
Speaking to Austrian public broadcaster ORF, Stocker said he did not “want to live in an Islamic state”.
Austria’s law differs from France
The Austrian legislation comes as several European countries maintain restrictions on religious clothing in schools and public spaces.
France has banned conspicuous religious symbols, including headscarves, turbans and kippas, in schools for more than two decades. However, Austria’s new law differs from the French legislation because it specifically targets head coverings worn by Muslim women.
Austria, along with several other European countries including France, Belgium and Denmark, also prohibits full-face veils such as niqabs or burkas in public.
Muslim group warns of wider European trend
Baghajati said the IGGÖ was concerned about what she described as a “troubling trend” across Europe, where complex social problems are reduced to symbolic measures targeting minority groups.
She argued that such policies may generate political attention but rarely address the underlying issues.
The new Austrian headscarf ban is therefore likely to remain a contentious issue, particularly as potential legal challenges test whether the measure is compatible with the country’s constitutional protections for religious freedom and neutrality.
