Europeanised or Sovereignist Approach to Tackle Irregular Immigration in Southern Europe

Abstract

After the migration crisis of 2015 and the closure of the Western Balkan route, migratory pressure shifted towards the Central and Western areas of the Mediterranean. This article examines and compares the measures taken by the governments of Spain and Italy to tackle migration, especially irregular. First the theoretical framework is drawn for the analysis, together with the economic, social, cultural and political context. Then Spanish and Italian government policies on migration control mechanisms are classified, with a particular attention to externalization, and thus to the relationship of Spain with Morocco and Italy with Libya. Finally, the approaches behind the above- mentioned policies are investigated between 2015 and 2019, in the dichotomy of Europeanism and Sovereignism. The article is based on content and comparative analyses, and principally relies on the study of statistical data, opinion polls, political discourses and news items