The leaders of Denmark, Italy, and Poland are jointly pressuring the European Union to significantly toughen its stance on illegal immigration. This request arises as there are considerable concerns among European citizens regarding the social and security consequences of immigration. The draft outcomes of the upcoming EU leaders' meeting clearly reflect these concerns.
Social and Security Concerns
The draft for this meeting states that immigration "is a concern for many European citizens and poses a challenge to the cohesion of our societies, negatively impacting crime rates." This document is particularly supported by Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Denmark, and Donald Tusk, the leader of Poland.
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EU leaders will address the issue of immigration in a special meeting on Thursday and are expected to emphasize the necessity of fully controlling illegal entries. This meeting is being held at the request of Meloni and Frederiksen following recent tensions with Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain.
Rising Tensions and Crises
Tensions in this area have escalated with the increase in the number of migrants in the autonomous region of Ceuta in Spain this summer. Additionally, right-wing parties across the EU have gained more votes, which is likely to influence the immigration policies of various countries.
The draft also states that the EU should emphasize the importance of preventing actions that may encourage illegal immigration. This request includes examining a consultative mechanism for coordinating national actions that may affect other member countries while respecting national competencies.
Although no specific country is mentioned in this context, the recent conflicts between Sánchez and Meloni over how to manage the Ceuta immigration crisis and Spain's actions to legalize about one million migrants clearly highlight the challenges facing the EU in this regard.
However, some officials noted that part of the text regarding the impact of immigration on social housing was removed from the draft due to concerns that it might be perceived as provocative against Spain. One diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, stated that the updated draft is unlikely to garner comprehensive support from leaders, but its aim is to align language with political sentiments and foster discussion.
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