The leader of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, speaking at the Sabaudia Incontra event, expressed appreciation for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, describing him as a serious and consistent leader, and criticized the Italian government's decision to temporarily suspend Schengen with respect to Spain following the migration crisis in Ceuta.

Conte cited three episodes in which, according to him, Sanchez demonstrated firmness: opposing the request to raise military spending to 5% of GDP put forward by Trump, condemning Israeli actions in Gaza and calling for Netanyahu to be prosecuted, and refusing to make Spanish bases available for a potential military action in Iran. These assessments reflect the personal judgment of the Five Star leader.

On migration management, Conte cited figures indicating that in four years of the Meloni government, arrivals in Italy exceeded 326,000, against lower numbers recorded in Spain during the same period. He also recalled that in the summer of 2023, during the Lampedusa crisis, the Italian government had asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for solidarity, leading to her visit to the island. Conte therefore judged it contradictory for Italy to then adopt restrictive measures toward Spain when a similar crisis occurred in Ceuta.

According to Conte, at the extraordinary meeting of EU interior ministers on August 4, the Italian position was not even discussed, while European ministers expressed solidarity with Spain and praised Sanchez for repatriating approximately 50,000 irregular migrants within 48 hours. The M5S leader pointed to tools such as Frontex and joint missions as preferable alternatives to suspending Schengen, also recalling the friendship between Italy and Spain consolidated during the pandemic.

Conte's statements come amid political tensions with the government. In the preceding days, during his testimony before the parliamentary commission of inquiry on Covid management, Conte had described the commission as a firing squad with Meloni as its director, prompting the prime minister to respond on social media, arguing that the search for truth should not turn into personal conflict. The exchange fueled political debate over their respective positions.

Conte's public positions are also being observed in the context of internal dynamics within the center-left coalition. According to analyses reported by some outlets, the Five Star leader's initiatives may also be aimed at strengthening his position within the broad field, at a time of discussion over the coalition's program and leadership that sees Elly Schlein's Democratic Party as the other main reference point. These interpretations remain a matter of political assessment.