Mainstream MEPs split as far-right migration policy gains support

The legislative shift signals a broader alignment with right-wing migration agendas. While the European People’s Party provided the necessary structural weight to pass the measure, the participation of liberals from Renew Europe—who provided over half their votes—and select members of the S&D and Green groups marks a significant departure from previous party lines. Activists at the Brussels-based NGO Picum argue this outcome demonstrates a growing normalization of anti-migrant rhetoric, warning that mainstream parties are increasingly yielding to far-right pressure.

Internal party discipline faltered during the session. Alex Agius Saliba and his fellow Maltese socialists justified their support by citing the specific security interests of their home islands. Similarly, Danish socialist delegates backed the measure, mirroring a long-standing national focus on framing migration as a security threat. The Green group faced a rare internal fracture; while 51 members opposed the regulation, vice-chair Virginijus Sinkevičius of Lithuania and Latvian MEP Mārtiņš Staķis broke ranks to vote in favor, highlighting the tension between national political imperatives and broader European party platforms.