«The Italian Prime Minister returns to immigration to regain the political initiative». El Pais writes this in a long article underlining that «after having enjoyed a stability rarely seen in Italian politics for much of his mandate, in recent months cracks have begun to emerge in his position, which threaten to complicate the final phase of his mandate, which will end in 2027. At the moment, Meloni maintains a comfortable lead in the polls. However, the recent setbacks and growing tensions within the coalition portend a more complicated autumn than usual” and “to counteract this erosion of consensus, it has once again turned to migration policy, taking advantage of the Ceuta crisis”.
“It is not the first time that Meloni transforms a migratory emergency into a political opportunity”
«Adding to these difficulties is the rise of retired general Roberto Vannacci, whose new party, Futuro Nazionale, threatens to take away consensus from the Prime Minister on the right and is trying to win over the most radical voters. Although Meloni maintains a dominant position and the polls show her party as the most voted, even without any possibility of governing alone, she no longer enjoys the same margin of maneuver that she had at the beginning of her mandate”. In this context, «the Ceuta migration crisis has taken on a dimension that transcends Spanish politics». Meloni “took the opportunity to promote his approach in Europe: it is not the first time he has transformed a migratory emergency into a political opportunity”. «Now, she has tried to present the massive influx of migrants from Morocco to Ceuta as a warning about what could happen in other European countries if the policies against the irregular entry of foreigners are not tightened, as she herself has been asking for years», continues El Pais.
“She managed to bring immigration back to the center of the Italian political debate”
«Meloni has managed to bring immigration back to the center of the Italian political debate. It is one of his favorite topics and usually enjoys broad support among his voters. Strengthening her rhetoric on immigration also allows her to close ranks on the right. Because Vannacci began attacking her precisely on these fronts, challenging her on some of the most well-known issues of the Italian right, such as immigration, security and national identity, arguing that those who came to power promising a hard line ended up significantly softening their positions”.