European Union leaders make a crucial decision this Thursday in Brussels: what Europe do we want. A Europe that sends migrants to third countries or a Europe that simply sends them back to their places of origin? Or a solution which, as Spain proposes, welcomes and distributes the migratory burden between Member States? For now, the solidarity option is the one that I support the least that we find in the European institutions.
The meeting promises to be a confrontation between two approaches: that of outsourcing of immigration management and that of mass deportation. Proposals like that of ItalyPolicies seeking to transfer the “hot potato” to third countries, or even to conflict regions like Syria, are gaining ground. The Italian government, led by Giorgia Meloni, advocates paying third countries to host detention and temporary reception centers, like the model already implemented in Albania.
He Austrian chancellor openly defended the idea of sending migrants to Syria and Afghanistandescribing them as “safe” destinations, despite the obvious tensions and conflicts that persist in both countries.
For his part, The Netherlands caused controversy by suggesting that Uganda could be the destination of African migrants whose asylum requests have been refused. Paradoxically, the same Dutch government that promotes this idea is warning its LGTBIQ+ citizens against the risks of traveling to Uganda due to laws that criminalize their sexual orientation, even imposing the death penalty. “It’s just a proposal, it is not yet finalized,” the Dutch chancellor tried to soften.
Francefor its part, adopts a more traditional position: send migrants back to their country of origin. Compared to more radical proposals, this one seems almost pious.
In the meantime, Spain remains firm on its position that the only true solution is welcome migrants and distribute them equitably between Member States. However, this view is in the minority.
With 15 of the 27 countries of the European Union lean towards the ‘Meloni Model’ outsourcing, the future of European migration policy seems to be moving towards a more restrictive approach.
He german chancellorOlaf Scholz, warned that these solutions “are only drops in the ocean” and that Europe needs migrant labor to secure their economic future, a voice that remains in the air amid growing divisions.
The discussion will culminate on Friday, when Italy and France meet in a parallel summit to try to reach an agreement on the future of the detention centers that Italy seeks to extend beyond its borders.
