Italian coalition passes bill to make it easier to expel migrants

Italy's populist coalition passed a bill yesterday that will make it harder for migrants to claim humanitarian protection and easier to expel failed asylum seekers.

The decree is part of the coalition's concerted efforts to reduce the number of migrants arriving by boat from North Africa and to repatriate those who are denied asylum.

Migrants or refugees who request asylum will have their applications denied if they are considered "socially dangerous" or convicted of crimes, Matteo Salvini, the interior minister, said.

Those crimes could include dealing drugs and bag-snatching, said Mr Salvini, who is head of the anti-immigration League party and has spear-headed the crackdown on migrants since the coalition came to power in May.

"This is a step forward in making Italy safer - fighting traffickers, reducing the cost of an overblown immigration system and expelling more rapidly delinquents and fake refugees," he said, adding that the bill brought Italy into line with other EU nations.

Italy's parliament now has 60 days in which to debate the decree and vote it into law.

But Maurizio Martina, the head of the opposition, centre-left Democratic Party, said the decree would lead to an increase in "clandestine" immigration as migrants tried to bypass the new laws.

Meanwhile, the last migrant rescue ship operating in the Mediterranean had its registration revoked by Panama, with humanitarian organisations accusing the Italian government of being behind the move.

The Aquarius, operated by the NGOs Medecins Sans Frontieres and SOS Mediterranee, will no longer be able to search for migrant boats.

Thousands of lives would now be put at risk, the NGOs said. Mr Salvini denied Rome had exerted any pressure on Panama, but at the same time welcomed the move.