Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged Spain to be suspended from the EU’s passport-free Schengen travel zone after thousands of migrants entered the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco.

Speaking hours after Italy’s foreign minister made a similar request, Meloni said the Italian government was coordinating with relevant authorities and could move towards “exceptional measures”, including suspending Spain from Schengen.

Meloni cited footage and accounts from Ceuta, where migrants, including children, swam to reach the enclave. The prime minister said the images were “shocking” and added that Italy would not “stand idly by”.

According to Spain’s delegation in Ceuta, at least nine people died during the sea crossing. Meloni said the scale of the attempt raised serious concerns for Italy.

Tajani Pushes suspension Over Irregular Migration

Before Meloni’s comments, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had also called for Spain to be excluded from Schengen. He argued that irregular and uncontrolled migration created risks to national security.

Tajani criticised Madrid’s decision to grant Spanish citizenship to more than 500,000 irregular immigrants, saying the move encouraged human trafficking. He said images from Ceuta showed why, in his view, the Spanish government’s approach was wrong and fuelled exploitation of people attempting to cross the Mediterranean.

The foreign minister’s remarks followed Spain’s handling of the situation at Ceuta, where people arrived after crossing from neighbouring Morocco.

Spain Rejects The Criticism

Spain rejected the allegations and dismissed the call for punitive measures. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Luis Albares accused Tajani of using migration issues for political purposes, and said his comments were improper for a partner and “friendly country” that should offer European solidarity rather than “partisan demagoguery”.

The Spanish government’s response came as Italy stepped up pressure inside EU discussions over migration and border policy.

Schengen Rules And Italy’s Broader Position

The Schengen Area is Europe’s passport-free travel system. It allows people to travel across the internal borders of 29 participating countries without routine border checks.

While Meloni and Tajani focused on suspending Spain specifically, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini went further, calling for the suspension of the entire Schengen system.

The dispute reflects wider disagreement within the EU on how to manage irregular migration, shared border responsibilities and the conditions for operating passport-free travel between member states.

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31 July 2026

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Yes they should be suspended. They are exposing all EU countries to this filth.

Italy’s sudden push to suspend Spain from Schengen looks more like political self interest than a workable EU policy. Italy has no border with Spain, so the “security risk” argument is wafer thin.

What it does have though is a government keen to posture on migration, using Ceuta’s tragedy as a prop. Nine people drowned, yet the focus is on punishing Madrid rather than addressing root causes.

Spain is right to call out the demagoguery. Granting citizenship to long‑term residents is hardly the same as encouraging trafficking.

But in today’s politics, migration is the convenient scapegoat where governments shift blame for domestic failures onto migrants, while suggesting extreme measures like suspending Schengen.

6 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

Italy’s sudden push to suspend Spain from Schengen looks more like political self interest than a workable EU policy. Italy has no border with Spain, so the “security risk” argument is wafer thin.

What it does have though is a government keen to posture on migration, using Ceuta’s tragedy as a prop. Nine people drowned, yet the focus is on punishing Madrid rather than addressing root causes.

Spain is right to call out the demagoguery. Granting citizenship to long‑term residents is hardly the same as encouraging trafficking.

But in today’s politics, migration is the convenient scapegoat where governments shift blame for domestic failures onto migrants, while suggesting extreme measures like suspending Schengen.

I'd largely agree with you but Meloni does have a point. Currently, there is nothing to stop individuals travelling by ferry from the Moroccan enclaves to mainland Spain, and then throughout mainland Europe.

A simple way to mitigate - if not solve - the problem would be an emergency measure requiring all those wishing to travel from Ceuta and Melilla to mainland Spain to present ID before doing so.

Critics, including Spanish officials and Italian opposition, dismiss it as largely symbolic demagoguery aimed at domestic voters amid competition from harder-right rivals, noting no land border and little evidence of secondary movements to Italy.

While consistent with Meloni’s long-standing hard line on immigration, the limited practical impact and rapid timing suggest a strong element of political signaling.

Meanwhile on the other side of Spain 😭

Edited July 31Jul 31 by FinChin67

Looks like the Penguin Island Trump

sanctioned on the tariff list !

Reminder that there is "Save Europe Act" but in my opinion too little too late.

10 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

Italy’s sudden push to suspend Spain from Schengen looks more like political self interest than a workable EU policy. Italy has no border with Spain, so the “security risk” argument is wafer thin.

What it does have though is a government keen to posture on migration, using Ceuta’s tragedy as a prop. Nine people drowned, yet the focus is on punishing Madrid rather than addressing root causes.

Spain is right to call out the demagoguery. Granting citizenship to long‑term residents is hardly the same as encouraging trafficking.

But in today’s politics, migration is the convenient scapegoat where governments shift blame for domestic failures onto migrants, while suggesting extreme measures like suspending Schengen.

"Root cause" ?? First you close the gate, then you figure out what's broken.

Good call Italy, finally some common sense.

I'm only surprised that His Majesty's Royal Navy hasn't sent a frigate to rescue these unfortunate souls from the hands of the Spaniards and give them a free ride to Londonistan.

Oh wait....nearly all of their seven frigates are in dry-dock awaiting rubber band replacement, and the rest are short of crew attending DEI training

13 hours ago, webfact said:

urged Spain to be suspended from the EU’s passport-free Schengen travel

Well, she can call whatever she wants.

Leaving "Schengen" or being excluded once you're a member is not provided in the contract.

Meloni is fighting for her job. A bit noise she supposes might help.

no free benefits, housing, healthcare, pocket money could stop this invasion...too simple, right

1 minute ago, Jimbolkb said:

no free benefits, housing, healthcare, pocket money could stop this invasion...too simple, right

It's all about the incentives.

1 minute ago, Jimbolkb said:

no free benefits, housing, healthcare, pocket money could stop this invasion...too simple, right

It's easy to stop.

They don't want to.

The riots and raping has started in Ceuta. Hope the lefties are feeling proud.

Hmmm, this comes just a few weeks after a certain US political personality started trash-talking Spain, and who also offered some personal trash on Meloni.

6 hours ago, FinChin67 said:

Critics, including Spanish officials and Italian opposition, dismiss it as largely symbolic demagoguery aimed at domestic voters amid competition from harder-right rivals, noting no land border and little evidence of secondary movements to Italy.

While consistent with Meloni’s long-standing hard line on immigration, the limited practical impact and rapid timing suggest a strong element of political signaling.

Meanwhile on the other side of Spain 😭

Sex workers?

2 hours ago, philipsharpe said:

Sex workers?

No, as Othello observed, the Mediterranean world is filled with "goats and monkeys".

UPDATE

Italy Suspends Schengen With Spain Over Ceuta Crisis

Full story: https://aseannow.com/worldnews/italy-suspends-schengen-with-spain-over-ceuta-crisis-r1619/

5 hours ago, JonnyF said:

It's easy to stop.

They don't want to.

The riots and raping has started in Ceuta. Hope the lefties are feeling proud.

That's utter nonsense.

No rapes

No riots

You seem to be far from reality, just deluded as most right wing Nazis.

Spain should ban Italy just for creating a car company made up of the world's worst car brands. 😎

*Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Peugeot, Citroën

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged Spain to be suspended from the EU’s passport-free Schengen travel zone a

That's total nonsense.

Though the enclave of Ceuta doesn't belong to the Schengen zone directly it is a Spanish enclave.

The ferries to Spain are controlled very well and no illegal migrant takes this route.

It's all about to put pressure on EU, especially Spain by Morocco's king.

Why? To get back this peculiar part of his kingdom.

Who owns this part got control over the Strait of Gibraltar.

That is all about!

And instead of supporting Spain to tackle the current Ceuta problem they blamed Spain for that problem, what it isn't.

Morocco pushed the people to Ceuta. Almost all returned to Morocco already.

Meloni and some others used their usual right wing tongue only.

6 hours ago, JonnyF said:

The riots and raping has started in Ceuta

As usual, you have no (ZERO) proofs for your claim...

Unfortunatley I have to repeat somebody who loves to post such sentences.

You are just a hate spewing far right individual. You have repeated your right-wing extremist views countless times here on AN. Do you at least have blonde hair and blue eyes?

More biased reporting from the left-wing BBC (yes that is sarcasm)

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c171nnql1j4o

50 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Peugeot, Citroën

Emmm, italian Car brands?

No doubt she should suspend the free movement accord. But she also needs to empty her own country of its own hordes of invaders, many of whom filter on upwards to other European countries.

21 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Yes they should be suspended. They are exposing all EU countries to this filth.

I'm convinced you don't understand anything of the Schengen zone.

21 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

Italy’s sudden push to suspend Spain from Schengen looks more like political self interest than a workable EU policy. Italy has no border with Spain, so the “security risk” argument is wafer thin.

What it does have though is a government keen to posture on migration, using Ceuta’s tragedy as a prop. Nine people drowned, yet the focus is on punishing Madrid rather than addressing root causes.

Spain is right to call out the demagoguery. Granting citizenship to long‑term residents is hardly the same as encouraging trafficking.

But in today’s politics, migration is the convenient scapegoat where governments shift blame for domestic failures onto migrants, while suggesting extreme measures like suspending Schengen.

Only 9 .

2 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

That's utter nonsense.

No rapes

No riots

You seem to be far from reality, just deluded as most right wing Nazis.

I rarely bother with them. They're nearly all as thick as mince when you read and listen to their political 'science' anyway.

The remainder with a few more brain cells to share amongst themselves has a vicious, evil agenda and are impervious to decency. They'd let refugees die of diseases they'd refuse treatment for (one nice poster above), malnourish them if at all, let them drown or machine gun them at the border - that is the clear inference of all their hate filled ravings. Orang utans have a more developed sense of morals.

In the final analysis they are all truly sad and pathetic human beings. But sometimes you do have to say something, I agree.

Fortunately the vast majority of people of all political and skin colors are decent and half way intelligent enough not to succumb to the hatred. We'll work through it eventually the same as everything else. Fact is you get a residue of losers and mental dregs and malcontents at the bottom of every society, even those as prosperous and open as European ones. That's where the intelligentsia of the right goes recruiting.

5 hours ago, Schoggibueb said:

As usual, you have no (ZERO) proofs for your claim...

Unfortunatley I have to repeat somebody who loves to post such sentences.

You are just a hate spewing far right individual. You have repeated your right-wing extremist views countless times here on AN. Do you at least have blonde hair and blue eyes?

Actually neither the dowdy Hitler, the weedy Himmler, the club footed Goebbels or the clinically obese heroin addict Goering, to name just a few, had blond hair and blue eyes. The whole lot of them were a bunch of dangerous, hate fueled and incompetent clowns peddling a pack of lies and delusions.

Now which 'administration' does that remind me of?

Italy is no better as Meloni recently agreed to a quota of 500'000 illegals and non european immigrants to be allowed in Italy. So what is she giving out here to Spain ? And what about Germany ? All the syrians, afghans, ukrainians, iraquis and so on they are letting in..are they any better ? Much hypocrisy as all these countries use the cheap migrant labour to run their downfalling economy. And of course the ruling european union parliament in Bruxelles turns a blind eye to all the abusive entries of illegals and immigrants. Western Europe is doomed anyhow.

6 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

Western Europe is doomed anyhow.

Yes yes, we know. The EU will soon fall apart. Everything is so bad there. Mass shootings, no social nets, overboarding healtcare costs and really bad medical care. No democracy at all, only autocrats (except Orban from Hungary - but unfortunatley he got kicked out by some leftists)...-

UK did the right thing with Brexit. Out of the EU, they took their country back and it's economy is now much better ....... emmm.

Okok, so let's forget UK in that case. Ah, got it:

USA is far much better. They have reasonable living costs, a wonderful political system where democracy...... hmmmm.

You're free to go... except you live in Russia, North Korea or China.

Otherwise - Buhbye👋