War on the veil and other religious or ethnic accessories that conceal the face, even outdoors and in public places, except mosques and temples. And a crackdown on those who force women to wear it, introducing a new crime and fines of up to €30,000. This is the League's new crusade, announcing a bill to combat the veil in the name of women's dignity and freedom.

Submitted to the Senate and signed by Gianmarco Centinaio and parliamentary group leader Massimiliano Romeo, the bill consists of four articles. It aims to amend a 1975 anti-terrorism law (the so-called Reale law, named after the Minister of Justice, Oronzo Reale, in the fourth Moro government) that bans the use of protective helmets outdoors. These were, at the time, the targets of the law created during the Years of Lead to target "masked" protesters at marches. Matteo Salvini's party has now added a specification to those articles regarding the headscarf and "garments or accessories of any kind of ethnic, cultural, or religious origin."

And it eliminates the "justified reason" requirement, which in the 1975 law excluded the ban. Essentially, if approved, the League's bill would ban the veil without further justification, except in places of worship or in cases where hiding one's face is necessary to protect one's health (for example, with COVID-19 masks) or for road helmets. "This way, it will always be possible to identify anyone moving around public spaces, such as squares, offices, hospitals, and schools," explains Centinaio, who is also vice president of the Senate, "so as to avoid mistaken identity and limit situations that could endanger other citizens."

She adds that the current law "is ambiguous and leaves too much room for interpretation for judges who apply it. We want to clarify." Another new development is on the criminal level. Article 2 introduces a new crime: forcing someone to hide their face. Anyone who forces another person to hide their face (for example, by wearing a veil) through violence, threats, or abuse of authority is subject to a prison sentence of one to two years and a fine of €10,000 to €30,000. And if the perpetrator is a parent, the case is also reported to the Juvenile Court, which can decide to terminate parental responsibility or remove them from the family. "In some cases, imposing the veil is just one of the ways parents try to prevent their daughters from integrating, denying them the right to live freely in our society," Centinaio concludes.