Migration remains a hot topic in Italy ahead of European elections

The adoption of the EU’s pact on migration and asylum has never seen Italy’s ruling majority and opposition parties so divided.

Transcript

00:00Since becoming Italy's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni's key challenge has been to curb illegal

00:06migration, but delivering on the main promise of her political programme has been particularly

00:11tough given the sharp increase in the number of arrivals from Northern Africa since the

00:15beginning of her mandate. As she launched Brothers of Italy's electoral campaign, she

00:19took credit for changing Europe's approach to migration. If we look at official data

00:23for the first three months of 2024, the number of arrivals has decreased by more than half

00:29compared to the same period last year. Italy's government strongly supported the recent deal

00:33between the EU and Tunisia, hailing it as a success that has led to a decrease of almost

00:3860% in the number of departures.

00:59But the deal, which has been criticised by several humanitarian organisations and MEPs

01:21for failing to respect human rights, is not the only piece of legislation to have steered

01:27The adoption of the EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum has never seen Italy's ruling majority

01:32and opposition parties so divided.

01:56The visions in the Italian Parliament have also emerged following the government's call

02:17to develop the outsourcing of asylum policies, such as the protocol signed between Italy

02:22and Albania, with this approach gaining more support among member states.

02:27Giorgia Orlandi for Euronews, in Rome.