Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Calls for EU Naval Blockade Amidst New Wave of Refugees
Over 11,000 refugees from North Africa arrived on the shores of Lampedusa, a small Italian island off the east coast of Tunisia that has a population of around 6,000, during the week of September 10. As a result of this influx of refugees—which is noteworthy, though not uncommon—Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for a European Union naval blockade off the Italian coast. This is an echo of Meloni's campaign promises and reflects a recent anti-migrant shift in leaders' attitudes across Europe, and the call for a naval blockade could signal tougher times for those seeking refuge in Europe.
The Italian Government’s toughness on issues concerning refugees follows a pattern of policies that it has pursued as one of the EU members most affected by the crisis. In 2022, Italy, which has borne the largest brunt of those seeking asylum in the EU since the start of the refugee crisis a decade ago, received more than 100,000 refugees on its shores. From sites of first entry such as Lampedusa, Italian authorities funnel refugees into overcrowded identification centers in Sicily. Although the centers lack the resources to handle the number of asylum seekers, the Italian government has insisted on maintaining its strict standards.
During her visit to Lampedusa to assess the impacts of the refugee wave, Meloni walked through the streets of the island, which had been “sanitized” of the reality of the situation, according to exasperated local residents, and called on other Europeans to take action as part of their responsibility to protect the “future of Europe.” Meloni, whose harsh rhetoric on immigration boosted her into the spotlight and subsequently the position of Prime Minister, has been a leading actor among leaders of Europe calling to curb the increasing wave of asylum seekers on European shores. She spearheaded the EU Frontex deal with Tunisia in July, which established Tunisia as a safe third country and provided one billion dollars in economic assistance to the North African country in exchange for aid in combating illegal immigration.
Meloni was accompanied on her visit by President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who has similarly promised to strengthen the EU’s response to the crisis in cooperation with Tunisia. While there is still division within the EU on how to face the issues created by the increasing numbers of refugees, each passing day threatens harsher and harsher measures for those fleeing from Africa into Europe. For example, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, Jarosław Kaczyński, chimed in on the Lampedusa crisis, saying that “Lampedusa is just a symbol of the situation that threatens the whole Europe.”
While Meloni has had some support, she has also faced backlash from domestic and international critics, and her attempts to appeal to Italy’s moderates have fallen on deaf ears due to her hardline stances on domestic issues, including immigration. A researcher at the Brussels International Center, Yasmine Akrimi attacked the Frontex-Tunisia deal, claiming it was an attempt to change the internal dynamics of North Africa for the benefit of Europe at the expense of the region and asylum seekers.
The Italian response to the crisis at Lampedusa has serious implications for the future of the EU’s immigration policy. The embracement of Meloni’s fiery, harsh rhetoric and policies against refugee seekers by other European leaders forecasts much tougher times for those seeking refuge in the EU from ongoing conflicts in Africa.