what results for Giorgia Meloni’s migration policy?

After a record year in 2023, migrant arrivals in Italy have been three times lower than last year since January 1.

In Italy, a year ago, 94 exiles died in a shipwreck approaching Cutro, in Calabria. It was the first major crisis for Giorgia Meloni’s right-far-right majority. Since then, between decrees, laws and international agreements, the government has increased its announcements. After a record year 2023, during which Italy saw 157,000 people disembark, arrivals have been three times lower than last year since the start of 2024. The common thread of Italian policy is to outsource.

First there was the agreement with Tunisia and the European Union last July. “It works,” says the Minister of the Interior. According to him, more than 120,000 departures have been prevented since the agreement, also counting the one in force with Libya.

The International Rescue Committee gives another echo. “According to our latest information, 105 million euros were paid by the European Union to Tunisia and 24,000 people were prevented from leaving the Tunisian and Libyan coasts, at the cost of terrible policies in Tunisia and Libya for asylum seekers because theyhave people who are not protected at all”, indicates Marine Messina, specialist in asylum law. Unlike Libya, Tunisia is considered a safe country by Italy, responds the Italian Interior Ministry.

Multiplication of agreements

Rome looks beyond. During an Italy-Africa summit at the start of the year, more than 5 billion euros were promised, in particular to limit departures. In the meantime, there was the agreement with Albania, where more than 30,000 exiles must be sent each year on their way to Italy. But the legal and practical instructions remain unclear. Both structures are expected to see the light of day before summer.

In the north, controls at the border with Slovenia are maintained. On television, images of boats landing in the south have diminished. Temporarily or permanently? We will find out this summer.