Nine European Union leaders are pushing to reform the European Convention on Human Rights as they face increasing difficulty expelling criminal migrants, challenging decades of human rights interpretations that have hampered national sovereignty.
Key Takeaways
- Leaders from nine EU countries, including Italy and Denmark, are seeking reforms to make it easier to deport foreign criminals
- The group argues that the European Court of Human Rights has interpreted the Convention too broadly, restricting national powers
- The initiative represents a growing conservative push across Europe to regain control over immigration policies
- The leaders are calling for more autonomy in handling foreign criminals who cannot be deported
- This reform effort comes amid concerns about hostile states exploiting migration for political purposes
European Leaders Push Back Against Liberal Migration Policies
A coalition of nine European Union nations is challenging the current interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights, arguing that it prevents them from effectively managing criminal migrants within their borders. Led by Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the group is pushing for substantial reforms that would give member states greater authority to expel foreign nationals who commit crimes. This move represents a significant shift toward prioritizing national security and public safety over the expansive human rights interpretations that have dominated European policy for decades.
The initiative has gained support from leaders in Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, creating a substantial bloc of nations demanding change.
These countries argue that the European Court of Human Rights has overreached in its interpretations of the Convention, preventing nations from exercising their sovereign right to protect their citizens. The growing frustration stems from numerous cases where dangerous foreign criminals have remained in European countries despite committing serious offenses, protected by broad interpretations of human rights standards.
“We need to open a political debate on some European conventions to which we are bound and on the capacity of those conventions, a few decades after they were written, to address the great issues of our time, starting precisely with the issue of the migration phenomenon,” said Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy.
Sovereignty vs. Convention Interpretations
The central complaint from these European leaders focuses on how the European Court of Human Rights has gradually expanded the Convention’s scope beyond its original intent. They contend that the Court’s increasingly liberal interpretations have created a system where national governments find themselves unable to deport even the most dangerous foreign criminals. This has created serious public safety concerns and fueled anti-immigration sentiment across Europe as citizens witness violent offenders protected from deportation by expansive human rights rulings.
Italy and Denmark’s proposal specifically calls for a political debate on whether conventions written decades ago remain relevant to today’s migration challenges. The coalition is seeking mechanisms that would allow member states to monitor and manage criminal migrants who cannot be deported under current rules. This approach acknowledges the practical realities faced by European nations dealing with criminals who cannot be returned to their countries of origin due to various legal or humanitarian constraints, while still maintaining necessary control over potential threats.
Addressing Hostile State Exploitation
Another critical concern driving this reform effort is the growing evidence that hostile states are weaponizing migration for geopolitical advantage. The coalition specifically references Lithuania’s recent legal action against Belarus for allegedly facilitating illegal border crossings as part of a hybrid warfare strategy. This dimension adds urgency to their calls for reform, as European nations increasingly view migration not just as a humanitarian or economic issue, but as a potential security threat that requires more robust national controls Stated Mette Frederiksen
The reform initiative represents a significant challenge to the progressive interpretation of human rights that has dominated European policy for decades. By calling for a reexamination of fundamental conventions, these nine nations are signaling that national sovereignty and public safety must be balanced against broad human rights protections. As migration pressures continue across Europe, this conservative approach is gaining traction with citizens concerned about both crime and the erosion of national decision-making authority to international courts.
