A new law came into force in Austria banning girls under 14 from wearing Islamic headscarves in public and private schools, coinciding with the start of the new school year. The measure, championed by Integration Minister Claudia Bauer as a defence against the "oppression" of young girls, has been introduced by a coalition of three centrist parties as a "commitment to gender equality", but has drawn criticism from Muslim groups and others who say it stigmatises a minority, may be unconstitutional, and risks fuelling anti-Muslim sentiment.

Teachers must enforce the ban by holding talks with pupils and guardians found wearing a headscarf, with repeated breaches referred to child services and guardians facing fines of up to €800 (£685); some teachers and the Green Party have objected to being made to police the rule. Austria's Islamic Community says it will back legal challenges at the Constitutional Court, which struck down a similar primary-school ban in 2020. The law differs from France's decades-old ban on religious symbols by specifically targeting Muslim headwear, while the far-right Freedom Party wants an even broader prohibition, and Chancellor Christian Stocker has separately called for a constitutional ban on "political Islam".