Key facts
- Italy's senior politicians are demanding Spain's suspension from the Schengen free-travel zone.
- The calls follow reports of thousands of migrants entering the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco.
- Italian officials criticized Spain's migration policies, which they claim incentivize illegal immigration and human trafficking.
- Spain summoned the Italian ambassador in response to critical comments made by Italy's Foreign Minister.
- The European Commission stated it is supporting Spain and enhancing cooperation with Morocco on migration.
Italy's most senior politicians have called for Spain to be expelled from the Schengen zone amid a diplomatic spat over migration. The tension escalated after thousands of migrants reportedly entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, located on the coast of Morocco.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the images from Ceuta as "shocking" and a threat to Europe's borders, vowing to take "extraordinary measures" to defend Italy's borders. She, along with Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, advocated for Spain's suspension from the free-travel agreement.
Foreign Minister Tajani specifically criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's migration policy, which he claimed legalizes hundreds of thousands of unauthorized migrants and "provides an incentive for human trafficking." This drew a strong rebuke from Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, who summoned the Italian ambassador to express diplomatic displeasure and accused Italy of "partisan demagoguery" instead of European solidarity.
Spain's policy of legalizing migrants has been a point of contention both domestically and within the European Union, having previously clashed between Meloni and Sánchez. Manfred Weber, President of the European People's Party, echoed calls for stricter migration enforcement, emphasizing the need to implement the Migration Pact and return regulation.
The European Commission, through Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, stated its support for Spain in protecting its borders and welcomed cooperation with Morocco to manage migration flows and ensure the swift return of individuals who entered Ceuta illegally.