Italy and Spain clash over Schengen as Ceuta migration spat boils over

Italy’s most senior politicians have called for Spain to be kicked out of Europe’s Schengen zone, with tempers running hot as thousands of migrants reportedly forced their way into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

Images of people entering the Spanish territory on the coast of Morocco have been amplified on social media, drawing a furious reaction from anti-migration campaigners and politicians.

“The images coming from Ceuta are shocking and demonstrate, once again, that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a real threat to the security of Europe’s borders,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on X.

“We are prepared to take action — including through extraordinary measures — to defend our borders and ensure citizens’ safety,” she added.

Meloni, along with Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani — the most senior ministers from each of the parties in Italy’s ruling right-wing coalition — has called for the suspension of the Schengen agreement, or for Spain to be kicked out of the free-travel zone.

Under the agreement, people can move freely between the 29 European signatory countries. However, several countries have re-introduced checks on some of their borders, which is allowed under the treaty, citing migration risks. Italy has already temporarily reinstituted checks on the Slovenian border to clamp down on smuggling and terrorism.

Tajani went further than just calling for Spain to be shut out of Schengen, pinning the blame for the Ceuta unrest on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s migration policy — which promises to legalize hundreds of thousands of unauthorized migrants — calling it “profoundly wrong” and claiming it “provides and incentive for human trafficking.”

That drew a stern rebuke from Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, who has summoned the Italian ambassador — a mark of serious diplomatic displeasure — to answer for Tajani’s comments.

“This message is unbecoming of the foreign minister of a partner and friendly country from which we expect European solidarity, not partisan demagoguery,” he fired back in a public reply to Tajani on X.

Spain’s policy of legalizing migrants has proven hugely contentious, both domestically and at a European level. Meloni and Sánchez clashed over the issue during a meeting of European leaders last month.

Spain, which like several other European countries is fighting deadly wildfires, now also finds itself under diplomatic attack on multiple fronts.

Manfred Weber, President of the European Parliament’s largest political grouping, the center-right European People’s Party, has also called for tougher action on migration over the Ceuta crisis, writing on X: “This proves one thing: the Migration Pact and return regulation must be enforced today, not tomorrow.”

European Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner — who also hails from the EPP — said the Commission has been supporting Spain in protecting the integrity of its borders, including in Ceuta, and that he has been in touch with Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska about the matter.

A spokesperson said the Commission welcomed “the close cooperation between Morocco and Spain to tackle these flows and ensure the swift return of those who have entered Ceuta illegally, in line with the applicable rules.”

“When it comes to our cooperation with partner countries: Morocco is a key and trusted partner of the EU,” the spokesperson added. “Over the past years, we have stepped up cooperation on migration and border management as well as anti-smuggling. We are now working to upgrade our relationship into a comprehensive and strategic partnership.”

Zoya Sheftalovich contributed to this report.