Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Italy’s migrant battle: Salvini seizes on island hit by overcrowding

Italy’s migrant battle: Salvini seizes on island hit by overcrowding

Reception center on Lampedusa is 500 percent over capacity as Italy’s right fire up election campaigns.

A wave of migrant boat landings on the Italian island of Lampedusa has put local reception services under huge pressure, in a development that is being seized on by the far right ahead of elections.

Italy is holding a snap vote in September after Prime Minister Mario Draghi lost the support of his governing coalition last week.

The Italian island of Lampedusa is experiencing difficulties with overcrowding after hundreds of migrants were dropped off there over the past few days. Lampedusa, just 100 kilometers off the coast of Tunisia, is the closest port of call for migrants fleeing hardship in Africa or seeking a new life in Europe.

As of Monday, a migrant reception center on the island, intended to house 350 people, is over capacity by 500 percent, with almost 1,900 migrants. Seven boat landings on Monday morning added to crowding.

The NGO rescue vessel Sea Watch 3 carrying another 400 people is also waiting to be allocated a safe port, although a child with burns and a pregnant woman were brought on shore already.

The new emergency is likely to be a boon for Italy’s hard-right politicians as they launch their election campaigns.

Former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the League party, who is known for his hard-line stance on migrants, is looking to capitalize on the situation.

As interior minister between 2018 and 2019 Salvini closed migrant camps and ordered a crackdown on NGO migrant rescue vessels, blocking the ports.

While part of Draghi’s coalition government for the past 17 months, Salvini regularly sniped at Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese. Salvini judged her to be inadequate at tackling migration and last week appealed to Draghi for her removal before the government collapsed.

Salvini seems to have his heart set on returning to the interior ministry if the right win the election, to be held on September 25.

Salvini tweeted about migrants five times on Sunday. One tweet said there was a need to “return to defending the Italian borders after the repeated failures of Lamorgese. Who will do it? The next interior minister?” he asked his followers. “What do you think friends?”

In the meantime the deputy mayor of Lampedusa Attilio Lucia, also a League member, has asked for Salvini’s help, saying the that migrants are sleeping on mattresses on the ground and sheltering under trees for shade. Law and order are also pressed he said. “The island cannot become a giant refugee camp.”

Salvini immediately changed his schedule to visit Lampedusa next week, saying he would “bring solutions.”

At a League event in Domodossola, northern Italy, over the weekend, Salvini told supporters that the League could come first in elections. “The first proposal that the League will bring to Cabinet will be a new security decree with a commitment to zero illegal immigrants around our country. Stop boats and immediately go home,” he said.

Salvini is currently on trial for kidnapping after refusing to allow migrants to land while interior minister, but is likely to turn the trial into an opportunity to rally support. The next hearing is a week before the September 25 election.

Salvini hopes to use the issue to make up ground on his rivals in the right wing coalition Brothers of Italy party, for whom immigration is also a central issue. Leader of Brothers of Italy Giorgia Meloni posted several tweets about migrants accused of violent crime over the weekend.

Brothers of Italy remained in opposition during Draghi’s government and overtook the League in the polls. A poll on Monday put Brothers of Italy on 24 percent versus 13 percent for the League.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×