Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government in Rome has called on the European Union to establish migrant return hubs in Africa in the wake of last week’s Ceuta border crisis. However, following significant lobbying by Meloni’s faction, the European Parliament passed legislation in June that cleared the way for EU member states to establish third-country migrant return hubs, a move inspired by the Albanian model. If Meloni succeeds in crafting a migrant return hub agreement, it may serve to undermine the challenge to her right. Following the EU Parliament vote backing the establishment of third-country migrant return hubs, Macron claimed the idea went against the principles of “Europe” and said France would not participate in any such plan. Furthermore, the former Rothschild banker said that Paris would also “oppose the use of the European budget” to fund any migrant return centres, claiming that it would damage the EU’s reputation in Africa.