Italy caused a stir when it called to shut Spain out of the EU’s visa-free Schengen travel zone after the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in Morocco was overwhelmed this week by more than 60,000 migrant arrivals.
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This crisis, during which 67 people died, is the largest surge of irregular arrivals ever recorded on a single day in EU territory. Although Ceuta is located in North Africa, this crisis has sparked vivid concerns among European governments.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday said Spain should be suspended from the Schengen area, as she described the images from Ceuta showing the migrants arriving as “shocking” and calling for “extraordinary measures” to be taken.
Spain blasted Italy’s “demagoguery” and summoned the country’s ambassador to Madrid to lodge a protest.
Finland and Denmark backed Italy’s request while France, Portugal and Germany have been less offensive, calling for the “protection of the EU’s borders”.
‘Suspension of Schengen cooperation’
“On illegal immigration, we will not yield an inch: defending the borders, stopping human traffickers, and ensuring effective repatriations will continue to be the line of this Government,” Meloni wrote on X.
The hard-right Brothers of Italy party proposed the suspension of the Schengen area with Spain, and announced extraordinary measures to defend Italy’s border. Statements that soon were backed by Denmark and Finland.
“It goes without saying that the EU must immediately take all necessary measures and consider all options, including a suspension of Schengen cooperation,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
“Countries that do not fulfil their obligation to protect the external border cannot be members of Schengen,” Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said.
Abundant right-wing reactions
“The images coming from Ceuta show how the Madrid Government’s decision to grant Spanish, and therefore European, citizenship to over 500,000 irregular immigrants is profoundly wrong and encourages human trafficking,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote on X.
The call was also echoed by leading right-of-centre figures across Europe.
“Appalling situation at the Spanish border. The devastating images are the direct consequence of the pull factor of massive regularisation doubled with instrumentalisation of illegal migration,” Manfred Weber, German leader of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), wrote on X.
“Spanish authorities have recorded 50,000 illegal border crossings [latest figures show it’s 60,000] in Ceuta so far, with Germany likely the destination for most of these migrants,” Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany, wrote on X. “Germany must prepare itself: borders must be secured and rejections rigorously enforced.”
Jordan Bardella, France’s radical right leader who is the president of the Patriots for Europe Group in the European Parliament, sent a letter on Friday, seen by Euronews, asking President Roberta Metsola “to hold an urgent debate on the developments in Ceuta and on the failure of the European Union’s migration policies.”
‘Italy’s position is unworthy’
For left-wing politicians in Spain and abroad, these attacks are opportunistic. The Ceuta crisis, they say, has simply given critics an excuse to target migrants and paint them as a threat.
“In Europe, right-wing attitudes have prevailed in picturing migrants as a threat,” said Spanish left-wing S&D MEP Juan Fernando López Aguilar, a former justice minister under the Zapatero government.
“Italy’s position is unworthy of a European partner,” S&D Spanish MEP Javi Lopez said on X. “When migration is weaponised, Europe answers with solidarity, not selfishness. After 700,000+ arrivals from Libya, Italy received European support, not lectures. Solidarity is not a one-way street.”
“This is right-wing propaganda at its worst,” Italian S&D MEP Cecilia Strada told Euronews. “Before a humanitarian emergency with tens of deaths and an unknown number of missing people, one would expect European solidarity rather than instrumental attacks aimed at political profiteering.”
Milder reactions from France and Germany
Other countries chose not to call for a suspension of Spain from the EU visa-free zone. France reinforced its border controls with Spain but reminded that Ceuta has a particular status.
“Ceuta does not benefit from free movement to the rest of the Schengen Area,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. “However, I asked the Interior Minister yesterday to step up checks at our border with Spain should this prove necessary: four mobile police units, aircraft and drones have been deployed.”
French diplomatic source also says, “France is closely monitoring the situation in Ceuta […] and will continue to coordinate with all of its European partners, first and foremost Spain, to which it expresses its support.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reacted on Friday to the crisis, calling for implementation “without delay” of the EU Return Regulation.
“Protecting the EU’s external borders is crucial to combating illegal migration,” German Chancellor said on X. “I support Spain’s intention not to allow illegal migrants onto the European mainland.”
The Portuguese Government reaffirmed that “the integrity of the Schengen system depends on strict border control and a determined fight against all forms of illegal immigration,” without calling for Spain to be temporarily removed from the Schengen area.
Dutch Foreign Minister also reacted implicating Morocco saying “we count on Spain to do what is necessary to protect the EU’s external borders and on Morocco to take the necessary steps as well.”
EU rejects Italy’s call
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen described the scenes in Ceuta as “unacceptable”, and her executive team is in contact with Spain and Morocco.
A European official said the EU understood “some governments are concerned” but stressed the priority was “securing our external borders” while rejecting Italy’s call to suspend Spain from the Schengen free-travel zone.
Brussels also noted the current crisis concerned the enclave of Ceuta, located on the African continent, and that additional checks are necessary for entry into mainland Europe, where no movement has been detected so far.
“It’s not like they’re landing in Spain and moving onto France,” the official, seeking anonymity to speak openly, said.