A protest against the far right in Vienna, Austria, on January 9, 2025. JOE KLAMAR / AFP
Austrian lawmakers on Thursday, December 11, voted by a large majority in favor of a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under 14, a move rights groups and experts say is discriminatory and could deepen societal division.
Austria's conservative-led government, under pressure as anti-immigration sentiment is running high, proposed the ban earlier this year, arguing it is aimed at protecting girls "from oppression." In 2019, the country introduced a ban on headscarves in primary schools, but the constitutional court struck it down.
This time, the government insists that its law is constitutional. However, experts have suggested that it could be seen as discriminating against Islam and placing children in an uncomfortable position. The law prevents girls younger than 14 from wearing headscarves that "cover the head in accordance with Islamic traditions" in all schools.
After a debate on Thursday, only the opposition Green Party voted against the ban. Ahead of the vote, lawmaker Yannick Shetty of the liberal NEOS party said the headscarf "is not just an item of clothing" but "sexualizes girls."
