22 EU leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, signed a letter sharply criticizing Spain's immigration policy. The leaders expressed 'serious concern' over migrant infiltration into Ceuta, called for tighter EU coordination, and urged Spain to cancel its plan to grant citizenship to up to 1.2 million migrants. They also warned against creating the impression that illegal entry can lead to legal stay and signaled readiness to consider temporary border checks within the Schengen area, according to Asaf Rozentzweig (N12).
The letter, signed by 22 EU leaders including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, sharply criticizes Spain's immigration policy in the wake of the ongoing crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The signatories express 'serious concern' over the infiltration of migrants into Ceuta and call for tighter EU-wide coordination on border management. They specifically target Spain's reported plan to grant citizenship to up to 1.2 million migrants, describing it as a factor that 'creates attraction' for illegal migration and urging its cancellation. The leaders also warn that allowing illegal entry to lead to legal stay would undermine the Schengen system and signal readiness to consider temporary reintroduction of internal border checks.
The letter follows earlier tensions between Spain and several EU member states. Earlier today, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized the 'selfish' reaction of some EU countries and called for an urgent meeting of EU ministers (as The Zioneer reported). Italy had already ordered the closure of sea and air borders with Spain, and Denmark's prime minister called for the EU to consider suspending Schengen over the crisis. The new letter indicates that a significant bloc of EU leaders is now pushing for concrete measures to address the situation, with the potential reintroduction of Schengen border checks emerging as a central tool.
3 developments
- Developing22 EU leaders demand Spain scrap citizenship plan for 1.2 million migrants
- StrongVon der Leyen: EU will not admit migrants who fail to comply with entry rules
- StrongDenmark's PM calls for EU to consider suspending Schengen over Spain's migration crisis
- DevelopingThe Zioneer: Europe tightens immigration policies, hardens citizenship laws, deports migrants
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Open-source intake