Far right’s rising influence drives tougher EU migration policy

• European Commission president proposes sending asylum seekers to third countries for external processing in response to recent Schengen border controls and suspended asylum rights
• Experts link the EU’s hardening migration stance to the rise of far-right influence in national governments, warning of severe risks to migrant rights

BRUSSELS

The growing power of far-right parties in the European Union is increasingly reflected in the bloc’s approach to irregular migration, raising concerns among experts about potential violations of refugee rights.

The far right’s influence, already evident in the European Parliament (EP) elections last June, has kept migration at the forefront of EU politics, with member states intensifying efforts to curb irregular immigration.

Recent developments have reignited migration debates, which many thought had been settled after the May agreement on the EU’s Migration and Asylum Pact. Hungary’s government, under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, sparked tensions by sending migrants to Brussels, followed by Germany’s Sept. 16 decision to implement six months of border controls with its neighbors. Most recently, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a temporary suspension of asylum rights, escalating the issue further.

In response, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni implemented an agreement with Albania to establish centers outside the EU for processing asylum seekers. This approach has since drawn the attention of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who pushed for a similar policy in a letter to EU leaders convening in Brussels after the summer recess.

Von der Leyen highlighted the transfer of Bangladeshi and Egyptian migrants from Italy to Albania as an example of how asylum processes could be externalized, drawing comparisons to the UK’s controversial 2022 “Rwanda plan,” which has faced significant backlash from human rights organizations.

Mainstream Parties Struggle to Counter Far-Right Influence

Oliviero Angeli, a migration expert at Dresden University of Technology, told Anadolu that the rise of far-right parties is driving the push for restrictive migration policies, including return centers outside the EU. Mainstream parties, he added, feel pressure to adopt similar measures to maintain broader electoral appeal and counter the far right's growing influence.

Angeli described this trend as a reflection of “migration fatigue” across Europe, where concerns about resource allocation, integration, and immigration have grown.

EU’s Human Rights Reputation at Risk

Basak Yavcan, a senior researcher at the Migration Policy Group, expressed concern over von der Leyen’s proposal, calling it a sign of the EU’s efforts to externalize migration. She noted that the plan focuses heavily on returns and lacks emphasis on integration or legal migration pathways, undermining the EU’s status as a champion of human rights and democratic values.

Yavcan warned that removing asylum seekers from their communities and work environments could severely disrupt their integration, calling for return decisions to be made on a case-by-case basis.

Rising Human Rights Violations Feared

Flor Didden, a migration expert with the Brussels-based organization 11.11.11, echoed concerns about human rights violations stemming from EU migration policies. He pointed to the influence of far-right parties, particularly in countries like Italy, and warned that von der Leyen’s proposal could worsen conditions for asylum seekers.

Didden also cited the EU’s agreement with Tunisia as an example of how externalizing migration can lead to rights violations, stressing that further burdening third countries could exacerbate these issues.