Europe Faces New Refugee Woes as Italian Rightists Declare That ‘Defending Borders Is Not a Crime’
Political forces coalesce to try to tackle an escalating crisis in which, among the European capitals, Rome is leading the way.
To the list of things in which Italy often takes the lead — fast cars, design, and fashion, to name a few — add one more: management of the refugee crisis. The new rallying cry from the Italy’s Northern League party is “defending borders is not a crime.” Not only is that message reesonating as Europe faces a fresh influx of refugees, but from the Middle East to America it underscores how there is no security without border security.
The leader of the League is Matteo Salvini, who serves as the deputy prime minister in a coalition government with Prime Minister Meloni. Signora Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party have been widely credited with successfully steering Italy through the migrant crisis, even as — or is it because? — the country’s long Mediterranean coastline leaves it more exposed to illegal arrivals than many other EU member states.
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