German Christian Democrats pledge tougher line on migration as elections loom
Germany's Christian Democrats (the CDU party) have been toughening their stance on migration in the run-up to national elections in February, including calls for…
Immigration
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Spain’s Canary Islands reports record number of migrants for 2024
Annual numbers released by Spain's Interior Ministry have shown that 46,843 migrants reached Europe via the Canary Islands in 2024, marking a new record.
Sweden announces potential EU immigrant ‘return hub’ proposal for March
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has said the European Union could submit a proposal on creating so-called “return hubs” to expedite the removal of illegal…
TikTok ‘influencer’ Zazouyoucef arrested after alleged calls for killing of Algerian opposition in France
A so-called social media influencer who goes by the pseudonym 'Zazouyoucef' on TikTok has been accused of calling for the shooting of opponents of the Algerian regime…
Poland assumes Council of EU presidency with focus on security and migration
Poland has assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, marking the end of Hungary's six-month tenure.
Illegal migration to Italy drops by almost 60 per cent in 2024
There was a sharp decline in illegal migration to Italy in 2024, with almost 60 per cent fewer illegitimate migrants reaching the country than in 2023.
Riots mar New Year’s Eve celebrations in Belgium
Serious unrest erupted over the New Year festivities in parts of Belgium, with migrant youngsters being blamed for outbreaks of rioting, arson and attacks on security…
Romania and Bulgaria join Schengen Zone – with border checks remaining
Romania and Bulgaria will both join the Schengen Zone, it has been announced.
Germany says Magdeburg hit-and-run suspect is ‘psychologically disturbed’
The German government has announced that the suspect in the deadly hit-and-run at Magdeburg's Christmas market exhibits "symptoms" of mental disorders, describing…
New crimes, new fears: German migration and national safety top political debate
Christmas is now a target.
German authorities ‘ignored warnings about alleged Magdeburg attacker’
After the deadly terror attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg, the capital of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, it has emerged that German officials received…
Leaving Germany permanently ‘makes Germans happier’, new study finds
People who leave Germany permanently become more satisfied with their lives, a long-term study by the German Federal Institute for Population Studies (BIB) has found.
Macron snaps at Mayotte locals: ‘If it wasn’t for France, you’d be in more trouble!’
During his visit to the island of Mayotte, recently devastated by Cyclone Chido — the most violent storm to hit the West Indian Ocean region in 90 years — French…
Spain set to adapt to EU migration law and restrict migration
The Spanish Government aims to replace the current asylum law with a stricter framework aligned with the new migration rules agreed upon in Brussels.
Sweden tells rejected asylum seekers: ‘Leave first, reapply later’
The Swedish government has announced tougher immigration proposals to limit the ability of rejected asylum seekers to reapply without first leaving the country.
Danish Government aims to screen ‘personal views’ of citizenship applicants
The Danish Government has been pushing forward with a new step in its citizenship process: Screening applicants for "anti-democratic attitudes".
EC to give Turkey €1 billion to support Syrian refugees
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has offered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan €1 billion in support to help Syrian refugees.
Syrian exodus from Germany ‘could cripple healthcare system’, officials warn
Germany’s healthcare system could face meltdown if thousands of Syrian doctors working in the country return to their homeland, according to officials.
EU must rebuild Syria or Syrian immigrants will stay in Europe
Thirty-three years ago, Jacques Poos, President of the Council of the EU, announced that the impending civil war in Yugoslavia was “Europe’s hour” to take…
NGO halts use of migrant boat ‘due to restrictive Italian laws and policies’
NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has announced it will cease its operations using the boat Geo Barents due to strict Italian laws that have made its operation "impossible".
Danish minister plans crackdown on ‘non-Western’ migrants who claim early pensions
Danish Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal (Venstre) Party, Troels Lund Poulsen, has announced plans to review "non-Western immigrant" access to early…
EU agrees to grant Romania and Bulgaria full Schengen membership
On December 12, EU interior ministers approved Bulgaria and Romania for full membership in the border-free Schengen Area.
EU tries to tighten border ahead of possible Syrian migrant wave
Brussels has launched additional measures to strengthen the European Union's external borders, amid fears of a coming migrant wave from Syria.
German police arrest teen boy and two young men over alleged Christmas market terror plot
Police in Germany have apprehended three young men who were allegedly planning a terror attack on Christmas markets in either Frankfurt on Main or Mannheim.
Greek police crack down on Turkish criminal gangs amid rising violence
Greek authorities have detained 16 individuals and confiscated weapons and drugs as part of a targeted operation to dismantle Turkish criminal groups operating within…
European Parliament called on to back ‘repatriation’ of Syrians after Assad’s toppling
The European Parliament should back the "repatriation of Syrian nationals" within the bloc now that the Assad regime has collapsed, a German MEP has said.
Authors go to EP to warn of radical Islam in Belgian schools
Jean-Pierre Martin and Laurence D’Hondt, who wrote a controversial book on the rising Islamism that is facing teachers in Belgium, presented their book on December…
Austria ‘to deport Syrians’ as other European states suspend processing asylum cases
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's brutal regime in Syria, a growing list of European countries have suspended processing Syrian asylum cases, with Austria…
Human Rights Watch accuses Poland of ‘inhumane and illegal’ migrant pushbacks
The NGO Human Rights Watch has accused Poland of conducting “unlawful" and "inhumane” pushbacks of migrants at its border with Belarus.
Germany and Austria freeze asylum applications from Syria
Germany and Austria have said they will pause asylum decisions for Syrians, citing changes in Syria's political landscape following the toppling of the Assad regime.