UMVA has learned that the European Parliament erupted into chants of “send them back” after lawmakers approved a sweeping overhaul of the EU’s migrant return system.
The vote, 418 to 218 with 30 abstentions, cleared the Return Regulation designed to accelerate the removal of third‑country nationals staying illegally in the Union.
As the result was announced, right‑wing members rose, applauded and shouted the slogan, while left‑leaning colleagues countered with cries of “shame on you,” turning the chamber into a battlefield of voices.
Although the legislation still needs formal endorsement by the Council of the European Union and publication in the Official Journal, the raw confrontation highlighted a continent sharply divided over migration policy.
Under the new rules, member states could detain certain migrants for up to 24 months, with a possible six‑month extension, and establish “return hubs” in third countries willing to receive those with return decisions.
Supporters argue the measures are vital because only about 20% of migrants subject to a return decision are actually sent home, a figure cited by the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.
Conservative leaders celebrated the vote as a triumph; Italy’s prime minister hailed it as a historic success, while right‑leaning politicians in France and Austria praised the shift toward tougher enforcement.
Critics condemned the decision as dehumanizing, warning it erodes core protections for migrants. The socialist vice‑president of the Parliament called the session “disgraceful,” and a Green‑Left MEP described the celebration as “horrifying.”
Human‑rights advocates have sounded the alarm, cautioning that expanded detention, offshore return hubs, and weakened safeguards could jeopardize fundamental rights.
