Tajani explains that the Schengen lockdown is necessary for internal security

Italy’s decision to extend the Schengen suspension is not a political move against Pedro Sánchez, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in an interview with Corriere della Sera: “The priority is internal security”. In short, the extension would therefore stem from the assessments of the Committee for the Analysis of Immigration and Border Security, and the reason is the prevention of terrorism and the fight against irregular immigration. This, in summary, is the explanation given by the Deputy Prime Minister, who cites the 31 turnbacks in the last month, with six arrests, to argue that the figures “are not insignificant”.

The minister defends the Interior Ministry’s stance: the measure is “necessary and temporary” and forms part of a framework of European cooperation. He also highlights the drop “of over 60 per cent” in irregular arrivals in Italy, whilst acknowledging that the emergency in Ceuta “is not a fabrication”, with nearly 100,000 people having arrived there.

On the European front, Tajani criticises “overly bureaucratic” policies on industry, agriculture and fisheries, and calls for a pragmatic approach to climate change. To strengthen the EU’s leadership, he proposes institutional reform: “The presidencies of the Commission and the Council must be held by the same person, and the requirement for unanimous voting must be limited.” He says he wants to convince Giorgia Meloni, who is more cautious on this issue.

Tajani rejects the idea that Italy could drift towards anti-European positions, even in the event of a victory for Marine Le Pen in France: “Meloni is on the right, not the far right.” He also emphasises the strength of the relationship with Washington, describing it as “long-standing and independent of whoever is in the White House”, whilst announcing the signing of an agreement on critical minerals with Secretary of State Rubio.

On the domestic front, the Deputy Prime Minister describes the electoral run-off as “a way of ensuring stability” and plays down tensions within the ruling coalition over the tax on energy windfall profits proposed by the Lega: Forza Italia would call it “a Soviet-style tax”. The best course of action, he argues, is dialogue with businesses, as was the case with the banks: “More than 10 billion has flowed into the state coffers”.