AhlulBayt News Agency: Austria’s new centrist coalition government is preparing legislation to ban the hijab for girls under 14 in all schools, including Islamic institutions. The law includes stricter penalties and obligates teachers to report violations.
This move echoes a previous hijab ban introduced in 2018 by the Austrian People's Party (OVP) and the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), which targeted girls aged six to ten. That law was enacted in 2019 but overturned by Austria’s constitutional court in 2020.
The revived proposal expands the scope to private and religious schools and imposes harsher consequences. Supporters claim it protects girls from oppression, but critics argue it reflects Islamophobic ideology and lacks empirical justification.
At its core, the policy signals exclusion, suggesting Muslim identity is unwelcome in public life. It reveals a political consensus that normalizes anti-Muslim sentiment and undermines constitutional protections.
Austria’s focus on Muslim dress has a long history. In 2017, the country banned full-face veils. In 2018, the hijab ban was extended to kindergartens, despite its limited relevance.
These early measures faced little resistance, paving the way for broader restrictions. Leaders like Sebastian Kurz and Heinz-Christian Strache envisioned bans extending to older students and even adult women in public service.
In 2019, two Muslim families challenged the hijab ban in court. The constitutional court ruled it discriminatory, noting that it targeted Muslim girls while exempting Jewish and Sikh boys.
The court emphasized that schools should promote openness and tolerance, and found the law incompatible with equality principles.
Despite Kurz’s resignation amid scandals, the OVP has continued to push anti-hijab policies. After poor election results, the party formed a coalition with the Social Democrats and Neos, reviving the hijab ban for girls under 14.
Legal experts question whether the new law can survive another constitutional challenge, especially since more girls in the 10–14 age group wear the hijab. Professor Heinz Mayer noted the court’s previous ruling set strict limits.
Some analysts suggest the hijab debate serves as a political distraction from Austria’s economic troubles, including a 4.7% budget deficit.
OVP leaders and far-right media have intensified rhetoric, portraying the hijab as a symbol of extremism. Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm claimed that hijab-wearing girls signal radical Islam’s spread.
The new law proposes fines up to €1,000 for repeat violations and requires teachers to report students, turning classrooms into surveillance zones.
Yet during the previous ban, no fines were issued, indicating the policy’s symbolic nature aimed at stigmatizing Muslims rather than solving practical issues.
Since 2018, all major parties—including the OVP, Social Democrats, Greens, Liberals, and FPO—have supported hijab restrictions, despite Muslims making up nearly 9% of Austria’s population.
Most Muslims lack citizenship or voting rights, leaving them politically marginalized. Even if the court overturns the law again, the damage to Muslim communities will remain.
The policy sends a harmful message to Muslim youth: that their faith and identity are unwelcome. Families report increased fear and pressure on children to remove hijabs, even before laws are enacted.
Austria’s repeated attempts to legislate against the hijab reflect not concern for children’s welfare, but a broader effort to institutionalize exclusion and normalize Islamophobia in national politics.
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