Migration: Nun kontrolliert auch Spanien Reisende aus Italien

Spanien and Italy are locked in a dispute over how to handle migrants, with both sides continuing to confront each other. Spain has now resumed border controls for arrivals from Italy, instructed by its government, with checks conducted on a sample basis at ports and airports until at least September 7th. This move comes in response to a similar decision by Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government.

However, the controls seem superficial and symbolic, allowing passengers to board flights with an ID, bypassing any checks until they disembark. One Italian traveler at Madrid's airport recounted being allowed to pass without further scrutiny, as Spanish officials had already seen her Italian passport. The Spanish government announced the controls the day before, after Italy's Meloni refused to lift the border checks she had imposed on Spaniards on the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in Morocco since early August.

No migrants from Ceuta have been stopped in the initial days, and none have been known to attempt to reach Italy. No evidence exists of migrants from Ceuta moving towards Italy. Italian media reports suggest Meloni was elected in 2022 on a promise to combat unwanted migration. Next year, Italy will hold elections. Italian sources say Meloni's hardline stance on migration was a campaign promise.

Meloni's foreign minister Antonio Tajani sought to ease tensions with Madrid next year, but his coalition partners - Forza Italia and Lega - opposed a soft approach. Spain describes the controls as "torpedoes to European unity," while critics argue they are politically motivated symbolism. The Meloni government is under pressure from the newly formed right-wing "Futuro Nazionale" party led by ex-army general Roberto Vannacci, whose migration-critical rhetoric resonates with a significant portion of the government's voter base.