Overview
- The prohibition covers all forms of Islamic veils, from hijab to burqa, across public and private schools.
- Parliament approved the measure with support from the governing ÖVP–SPÖ–NEOS coalition and the FPÖ, with only the Greens voting against.
- Repeated violations can trigger parental fines of €150 to €800, with up to two weeks of substitute detention for non-payment, after teachers first notify families.
- Ministers framed the policy as protecting girls from oppression and as a gender-equality step, with Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm and NEOS deputy Yannick Shetty defending the ban.
- Amnesty International Austria and the Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ) say the law discriminates against Muslim girls, pointing to a 2019 Constitutional Court ruling that struck down a similar primary-school ban.