New bill targets migrant crossings at sea
Italy’s government has just approved a tough new bill allowing naval blockades to stop migrant boats during times of “exceptional pressure” at its borders. The move tightens controls on irregular arrivals as Italy battles one of Europe’s busiest migration routes.
Meloni’s hardline stance on migration
Since taking office in late 2022, right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has pushed for faster deportations of rejected asylum seekers and harsher jail terms for human smugglers. Her government claims these measures aim to curb risky sea crossings.
So far in 2025, more than 66,000 illegal migrants have landed on Italian shores – roughly the same as last year but a sharp 58% drop compared to 2023. This decline is credited to cooperation with Tunisian and Libyan authorities.
EU backs stricter asylum rules
The Italian government’s crackdown comes after the European Parliament greenlit changes to EU asylum laws this week, responding to calls for tougher migration controls from countries including Italy.
Under the new draft legislation, Italy can bar boats from entering its waters for up to six months over “serious threats” to public order or security. Offenders face fines up to €50,000, and repeat violators risk having their vessels confiscated – hitting charity rescue ships hard.
Meloni’s coalition argues these rescue operations encourage migrants to risk the sea. But opposition voices slam the bill. Senator Peppe De Cristofaro of the Green Left Alliance said: “A repressive approach will not solve the issue… building walls, barbed wire or naval blockades won’t fix a vast, structural, epoch-defining phenomenon.”
The bigger picture: Europe’s migration challenge
Millions of refugees have arrived in Europe since 2015, fuelling anti-migrant sentiment and pushing governments to toughen their stance. New EU rules let member states reject asylum seekers who could be protected elsewhere within the bloc, and identify safe countries to which failed applicants can be returned.
