Austria Proposes New Integration Measures, Headscarf Ban for Girls Under 14

Austria Proposes New Integration Measures, Headscarf Ban for Girls Under 14
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Austria is set for heated political debates this fall following a series of proposed reforms targeting integration, education, and social welfare. Claudia Plakolm, Austria’s Minister for Youth and Families and a member of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), unveiled a package of new measures aimed at strengthening integration and reforming welfare benefits.

Key proposals include linking financial support to active participation in language and integration courses. Failure to comply may result in reduced or fully withdrawn social benefits. The Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) will oversee enforcement, requiring refugees and the unemployed to attend mandatory programs or risk losing financial aid.

Refugees under the age of 31 would be eligible for basic support only if they meet participation requirements. A controversial part of the plan includes a proposed ban on headscarves for girls under 14 in schools. Plakolm argues the measure is designed to protect children from social or familial pressure and to maintain religious neutrality in educational institutions.

However, the proposal is likely to face legal and public scrutiny, especially after Austria’s Constitutional Court previously struck down a similar law in 2020, citing religious discrimination. The proposals will be presented to Parliament soon, with expected pushback from civil society and opposition parties on issues related to religious freedom and social equity.