Reducing the number of undocumented migrant arrivals in Italy was one of the top priorities of Giorgia Meloni's government. On Monday, August 28, the number of undocumented
migrants arriving in the first eight months of the year stood at almost 113,500, more than double the figure for the same period in 2022. Faced with a surge in those coming from Tunisia, the emergency measures introduced by the government since it took office in late October have fallen short. Once again, it is the island of Lampedusa where they are mainly arriving. Between August 25 and 27, over 4,000 people reached its shores after embarking on their journey from Tunisia. As far as the government is concerned – despite promises of more restrictive measures, attacking Brussels or appealing to the EU for help as well as diplomatic efforts in the Mediterranean that have come to nothing – the facts on managing the migration issue remain the same.

"The situation over the last few days has been at its most critical since June 1," Rosario Valastro, president of the Italian Red Cross, told Le Monde. The organization runs the Lampedusa "hot spot," a center from which migrants are transferred to the mainland when weather conditions allow. By the end of the day on Monday, 3,000 people were being crammed inside this structure initially designed to accommodate 600. "What concerns us with this spike in arrivals is whether we can still provide support to people who come in very critical conditions, many of whom are minors," said Valastro. In the space of three months, more than 48,000 people have passed through the center. They are then directed on to a national reception system that is so overloaded that it faces criticism from local elected representatives and organizations.

The vast majority transited through the eastern Tunisian region of Sfax, which has become the principal gateway for migrants coming mainly from sub-Saharan Africa. This situation persists despite Rome's neighborhood policy in Tunisia, presented as the model for its diplomatic approach to the Mediterranean. Since taking office, Meloni has called for the signing of agreements with countries of origin and transit, which are supposed to guarantee investment and funding in exchange for greater control of migratory flows upstream of Italy's borders. The president of the Italian Council persuaded European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to endorse this approach, and traveled to Tunis on July 16 to sign such an agreement with her and Tunisia's authoritarian president, Kaïs Saïed, the practical implications of which have yet to take shape.

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