Despite opposition from the SPÖ, Lower Austria’s Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) continues to advocate for a headscarf ban up to the eighth grade — if necessary, enshrined at the constitutional level. “It’s about an equal world and the best possible future for our children — equal for girls and boys. And if that requires a constitutional law, then it should happen,” she said.
The SPÖ, which governs nationally with the ÖVP and NEOS, has spoken out against a constitutional provision and in favor of a constitutionally compliant headscarf ban. The Greens have also stated they will not support a law that violates the constitution. The FPÖ, on the other hand, has shown more openness. “The simple question for those who want to pass a headscarf ban by simple majority but not through a constitutional law is this: Do you want a headscarf ban or not? If you do, why not use the parliamentary tools available and pass a constitutional law?” Mikl-Leitner said.
The governor referred to Lower Austria’s action plan against radical Islam, which calls on the federal government to enact a children’s headscarf ban through a constitutional law. The state has “set the direction that the federal government should now follow,” she stated. “In Lower Austria, we are implementing everything legally possible to demand integration and prevent radicalization. Now the federal level must follow suit,” Mikl-Leitner urged.
“Massive problem with youth groups unwilling to integrate” in Europe
The “cityscape” debate sparked by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) shows how much people care about issues such as integration, values, and social coexistence, Mikl-Leitner said. “Anyone who walks through our cities and schools with open eyes cannot deny that we in Europe have a massive problem with youth groups unwilling to integrate, who do not respect our girls — especially when they don’t wear a headscarf. That is unacceptable. Speaking openly about this problem is not radical — it’s normal,” the governor said.
“We live in a country where boys and girls should grow up equally and free from coercion,” Mikl-Leitner emphasized. The headscarf, she said, has no place on young girls: “It is a symbol of oppression. As a woman and a mother of two daughters, I did not fight for equality for decades only to be told the opposite now.” She added: “We must have the courage to defend our values — equality, self-determination, and child protection. Girls should be able to laugh, learn, and dream just like boys — and not be patronized or oppressed by a headscarf.”
