Austria's parliament passes law banning headscarves for schoolgirls under age of 14

Austria's parliament passed a law on Thursday banning schoolgirls under the age of 14 from wearing a headscarf.

The coalition government, made up of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and Neos, said the new law represents a "clear commitment to gender equality" and applies to girls in both public and private schools.

Under the new law, all girls under 14 are forbidden from wearing what the government called "traditional Muslim" head coverings, which includes hijabs and burqas.

If any student is found to have violated the ban, they must enter into discussions with the school authorities and parents or legal guardians.

In the case of repeated violations, the youth welfare agency must be notified and families or responsible adults could be fined up to €800.

The government argued that the new law aims to empower girls and protect them "from oppression."

Speaking ahead of the vote, the parliamentary leader of the liberal Neos party, Yannick Shetty said it was "not a measure against a religion. It is a measure to protect the freedom of girls in this country."

He estimated the ban would affect about 12,000 minors in schools across Austria.

Critics say the legislation could fuel anti-Muslim sentiment in Austria and a similar proposal to ban head coverings for girls in 2020 was rejected by the Constitutional Court because it targeted Muslims.

Sigrid Maurer, a lawmaker from the Greens, slammed the law as "clearly unconstitutional".

But the opposition far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), which voted in favour of the law, said it did not go far enough.

"There needs to be a general ban on headscarves in schools, political Islam has no place here," FPÖ spokesperson Ricarda Berger said.

The Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ) group argued the ban was a human rights violation and could split society.

IGGÖ said in a statement on its website it intended to review "the constitutionality of the law and take all necessary steps."

A trial period for the new law is set to start in February next year with the ban going into force in September, when the school term starts.