Finnish and Italian Hardliners Push for Schengen Suspension as Spain Defends Ceuta Border Controls Amid Coalition Chaos, Intelligence Failures, and EU Schism

Finland’s Minister of Finance Riikka Purra (Finns Party) has defended her party colleague, Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, after Rantanen called for Spain’s expulsion from the Schengen Area following a sudden influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The proposal has drawn international attention, including criticism from Spanish media and Finnish opposition politicians, while Italy has taken concrete steps to suspend Schengen cooperation with Spain for six months, a significant escalation from its earlier one-month announcement (Yle). The move has also deepened divisions within Finland’s governing coalition, with the Swedish People’s Party (RKP) and now the National Coalition Party (NCP) explicitly distancing themselves from Rantanen’s stance. Green Party parliamentary group deputy chair Saara Hyrkkö has also criticised Rantanen’s remarks, accusing her of undermining EU unity and following a "far-right playbook" by exploiting the crisis for political gain (Ilta-Sanomat).