Rightwing MEPs chant "send them back" after EU deportation vote

Rightwing MEPs in the European Parliament faced immediate backlash on Wednesday after they erupted into chants of “send them back” following the adoption of sweeping new EU measures to accelerate deportations of undocumented migrants. The vote, which passed 418 to 218 on Tuesday, authorises stricter enforcement rules and paves the way for faster returns across the bloc. Footage from the Strasbourg chamber showed some lawmakers from the far-right Identity and Democracy and European Conservatives groups celebrating the outcome with the slogan, prompting fellow MEPs to respond with shouts of “shame on you” in a heated confrontation captured on Wednesday 2026-06-18.

The new legislation, negotiated over eighteen months, lowers the evidentiary threshold for removal orders and extends detention periods before deportation, measures critics argue will erode due process protections. “This is a dark day for human rights in Europe,” said Ska Keller, co-president of the Greens/EFA group, who was among those who condemned the chants. “Celebrating expulsions in this way shows contempt for the dignity of every person seeking safety.” The European Conservatives and Reformists group defended the outcome, with Dutch MEP Derk Jan Eppink calling the measures “long overdue” and accusing opponents of prioritising “abstract rights over border security” 2026-06-18.

Separately, a parallel debate on EU policy toward Cuba intensified as a cross-party coalition of MEPs demanded immediate sanctions against Havana and a coordinated push for democratic transition. The resolution, tabled late Tuesday, accuses Cuban authorities of systematic repression following mass arrests in May and calls for targeted asset freezes and travel bans on senior officials. “The regime’s brutality demands a firm response,” said Spanish Socialist MEP Iratxe García, who co-sponsored the text. The proposal is expected to come to a vote next week, with diplomats indicating broad support among mainstream groups 2026-06-18.

The twin controversies underscore deepening divisions within the Parliament ahead of next year’s European elections, with migration and foreign policy emerging as defining fault lines. While the deportation package sailed through with comfortable majorities, the Cuban resolution faces stiffer resistance from the European People’s Party, which has so far resisted sanctions. Analysts warn that the simultaneous escalation of both files risks polarising the chamber further and complicating negotiations on the EU’s long-term budget, already under strain from rising asylum costs.