Vienna: Austria’s Constitutional Court is expected to issue its ruling in the first half of 2027 on a newly introduced ban preventing girls under 14 from wearing Muslim headscarves at school.
The headscarf ban came into effect on September 1, 2026, after legislation was passed by the lower house of parliament in December. The measure was backed by Austria’s governing coalition and received support from the far-right Freedom Party.
The court confirmed on September 21 that it is considering complaints brought by female pupils aged between 9 and 12 and their parents. The applicants argue that the legislation infringes their freedom of religion and the constitutional principle of equality.
The court said its decision on the headscarf ban is expected during the first half of 2027. The case comes after the court struck down an earlier restriction in 2020 that applied to girls under 10, finding that the measure violated equality in conjunction with freedom of religion.
Under the current legislation, schools must initially hold discussions with pupils who do not comply with the ban and their parents. Further violations can eventually lead to administrative fines ranging from €150 to €800 ($172 to $918).
Austria’s Constitutional Court had previously rejected complaints filed before the new law took effect because the applicants were not yet directly affected by the legislation. Following its implementation on September 1, affected pupils and their parents have brought new challenges.
Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr stated taht around 80 cases of pupils not complying with the headscarf ban had been reported nationwide. Rights organisations, left-wing groups and Austria’s official Muslim representative body have opposed the measure.
The upcoming ruling will determine whether the current legislation remains in force under Austria’s constitutional framework.
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