Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has moved to bar full-face coverings such as the burqa and niqab in Italian schools, presenting the step as a matter of gender equality, but Muslim leaders and teachers in Milan call it a "false problem" since only an estimated 500 to 600 students reportedly wear them. Critics and analysts say the measure is aimed at right-wing voters ahead of the 2027 elections, as Meloni faces pressure from Roberto Vannacci's new National Future party, while legal experts note Parliament can still examine whether it is proportionate and compatible with religious freedom.