Meloni and Frederiksen form an alliance on social media too: “No to uncontrolled immigration, yes to hubs in third countries”

The issue of Europe’s borders remains central to the political debate following the events in Ceuta and the back-and-forth between Spain and Italy over the Schengen agreements. Today, Giorgia Meloni and the Danish Social Democratic Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, published a joint post on Instagram, in which they reiterated both governments’ commitment to finding “concrete solutions” to the issue of immigration, “especially for those most affected, ensuring greater security and protection for our communities”.

“We know that many may be surprised by our partnership. We come from very different political backgrounds. We certainly do not agree on everything.” Thus begins the post, which soon goes on to explain how the two leaders, the only female heads of state in the EU, are “united in our desire to protect Europe”.

At the heart of the post are concerns about the phenomenon of irregular immigration. “We do not accept uncontrolled immigration into Europe, and we have championed a stricter policy, both in our own countries and across Europe.” He continues: “No one can deny that illegal immigration has a negative impact on our societies: rising crime rates, increased pressure on public services and an erosion of trust in institutions”. In this regard, the post continues, “It is particularly serious when irregular migrants – who have no right to remain in our countries – commit violent crimes, are involved in drug trafficking, or are responsible for sexual violence”.

Meloni and Frederiksen are aiming to introduce new measures on migration that are more in line with the challenges and issues of our time than the international conventions currently in force, which may now be obsolete decades after their adoption. In this regard, the post identifies ‘repatriation centres in third countries and other innovative solutions outside Europe’ as the first necessary step, adding that ‘we are working hard on this’.

The two prime ministers emphasise the identity-related nature of the issue: “Respecting our laws must go hand in hand with respecting European values. This applies to irregular migrants but also to the millions of foreign nationals residing legally in our countries and across Europe”. The post also states: “We are both proud of Europe’s Christian cultural heritage and want to protect it.” They go on to add that those arriving from outside should respect these values and “not try to impose a way of life that we do not want”.

Frederiksen has led a social-democratic government since 2019, representing a rare example of a stable left-wing administration in a historical period dominated by the rise of populist right-wing parties. What sets the Danish government apart from others of a similar nature is, above all, its hard line on immigration, which over the years has drawn frequent criticism for Copenhagen within the social-democratic world. Frederiksen maintains that solidarity and responsibility on the issue of immigration are not mutually exclusive: in her view, taking a firm stance on who is allowed to enter and remain in a country is essential to upholding the rule of law and, consequently, security, because it is democratic institutions – not people smugglers, sudden crises or an individual’s ability to cross a border illegally – that must decide who is permitted to enter and remain in a country. From this perspective, even setting a cap on the number of entries is a way of seeking to ensure effective integration.

This approach has always been welcomed by Giorgia Meloni: in December 2024, the two prime ministers organised an informal meeting for those EU member states most interested in innovative solutions to the migration issue, together with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof; in May 2025, following a meeting at Palazzo Chigi, Meloni and Frederiksen issued a joint appeal to launch a Europe-wide debate on the future of international conventions relating to migration. In December 2025, meanwhile, Italy and Denmark issued a joint statement on the need to update the application of the European Convention on Human Rights, as approved by the Conference of Ministers of Justice at the Council of Europe – an achievement also highlighted in today’s post: “Together, we have succeeded in tipping the balance when it comes to foreign criminals in the context of the European Convention on Human Rights.”

Finally, on 1 August, Italy and Denmark sent a letter addressed to the President of the European Council, António Costa, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, Micheál Marti, calling for a meeting of the Ministers of the Interior to carry out a joint assessment of the situation and to define a coordinated European response following the events in Ceuta. The aim of the summit is to prevent uncontrolled irregular crossings, combat migrant smuggling networks, eliminate any factors that might encourage further illegal entries, and ensure a unified and effective European response.