Vannacci: “Sánchez is right. When it comes to immigration, Meloni is a disaster”

And in the end, Vannacci’s line prevails. Schengen suspension with Spain; EU Member States concerned about Ceuta. “Today the left is celebrating, because Sánchez has repatriated 60,000 illegal immigrants: finally, after decades of rhetoric, they too endorse the concept of remigration. I’m very pleased.” Futuro Nazionale was waiting in the wings. And what about the Meloni government? Was it right to close the borders, or is that not enough? Should we be patrolling the Alps, like a reverse Hannibal? “The measure taken in the midst of the emergency serves to stem the flow, not to resolve the problem from a systemic perspective. And when Sánchez quotes the figures, the figures don’t lie: there’s no need for Vannacci’s commentary.” What do you mean? “Italy is doing terribly. This government introduced the immigration quota decree: people enter via ‘click day’ and are then not monitored. And to think that some people were promising a naval blockade.” The reference is by no means coincidental. “The truth is that, when it comes to repatriations, they are performing worse than the Renzi and Conte governments.”

The Generalissimo who agrees with the Spanish socialist: the metaverse. “When he criticises Italy’s actions, he is correct, yes. But I would also highlight another figure: the legalisation of over 500,000 illegal immigrants, who are already guilty of a double offence – staying on Spanish soil and working illegally. This is what triggered the invasion of Ceuta.” But this is the sort of propaganda the far right relishes, if anything. Analysts point out that the Sánchez decree in question does not apply to new arrivals and that the influx of people was fuelled by external factors far greater than national asylum policy. “It’s just like the issue of squatting,” retorts Vannacci. “People keep squatting in the hope of amnesty. The only measure that will allow us to minimise illegal entries is the Australian model: whether you’re elderly, a woman, a child or disabled, as an undocumented migrant you’ll never be regularised. A paradigm shift is urgently needed.” Here is the military plan. “We need to triple the number of CPRs; we need to make it clear that anyone entering Italy illegally will not have an easy life. Just look at Norway: either you work, or you starve. These are the measures that remove the benefits, impunity and incentives for storming our borders.”

Half of Europe is now of the same opinion. “We are making some progress, partly thanks to my vote. However, the issue should have been addressed long before Ceuta: all the measures we had proposed to the European Parliament had been consistently rejected by the EPP. Funding physical barriers to stop illegal immigrants, for example.” New Maginot Lines: the appeal is directed primarily at Italy. “Governed by a watered-down, timid right wing, lacking the courage to take decisive action.” So never in alliance with them, then? “If they agree with us, fine. We certainly won’t back down from our positions.”