Italy has announced the extension of border controls that have triggered a diplomatic scandal with Spain.

Italy decided on Monday, August 31, 2026, to extend by 15 days the suspension of Schengen agreements regarding free movement with Spain, as a result of a massive influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. This measure, initially imposed after between 5,000 and 8,000 people remained in Ceuta, has been extended due to the persistence of the factors that led to the reintroduction of measures on August 1. The Italian Ministry of the Interior emphasized that the decision is intended to prevent migrants from traveling to Italy. At least 82 migrants have been found dead at the border, and Morocco has confirmed another 14 deaths.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, under pressure from a new far-right party, has been criticized by the center-left opposition, which believes that the measure is unnecessary and affects relations with Spain. This decision has generated a diplomatic scandal between Rome and Madrid, which has imposed controls on travelers arriving from Italy.