Italy and Spain clash over migrants; Madrid summons the ambassador

Brussels – While there is no justification for closing the border with Slovenia, there is now another border that authorities intend to seal: Italy is considering reinstating border controls with Spain, triggering a purely diplomatic row with Madrid. At the root of it all is the massive influx of migrants arriving en masse from Morocco and Algeria to Ceuta, the Spanish exclave on North African territory. Thousands have arrived by sea in what is, in effect, European Union territory, producing an immediate domino effect. 

“The images from Ceuta are shocking and demonstrate, once again, that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a real threat to the security of Europe’s borders,” said Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, a view echoed by the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani: “I am in favour of closing the Schengen area with Spain,” he wrote on social media, where he openly criticised the Spanish government. “The images coming out of Ceuta show how the Madrid government’s decision to grant Spanish – and therefore European – citizenship to over 500,000 irregular migrants is profoundly wrong and encourages human trafficking.”

I am in favour of closing the Schengen area with Spain and have every confidence in Minister Piantedosi’s handling of the matter. Irregular and uncontrolled immigration poses a threat to national security. The images coming out of Ceuta show how the decision to…

— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) July 30, 2026

The Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, responded immediately: “This message from the Foreign Minister of a friendly country and partner from whom we expect European solidarity rather than party-political demagoguery is unworthy.” In protest, Madrid has summoned the Italian ambassador to Spain, reflecting the current tensions between the two European Union member states.

However, Italy pours more fuel on the fire when Nicola Procaccini — a Meloni ally and co‑chair of the Conservatives (ECR) group in the European Parliament — once again targets Pedro Sánchez’s government: “When a government regularises illegal residence on a massive scale, it should come as no surprise if many more people come to the conclusion that reaching Europe illegally will ultimately be rewarded.”

 Meanwhile, the local parliament in Ceuta has unanimously approved a motion calling for the temporary closure of the border with Morocco as an “urgent and unavoidable” measure in response to what has been described as “the most serious crisis in recent years.”