European Leaders Push for Simplified Expulsions of Foreign Criminals

Nine European nations, including Italy and Denmark, are set to request the European Union to streamline the process of expelling foreign criminals, according to a letter obtained by Reuters.

These governments are increasingly frustrated with the European Court of Human Rights and its use of the European Convention on Human Rights, which they argue unduly complicates deportations. The letter, prepared ahead of a Thursday meeting between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen, calls on the EU to reassess court interpretations of the convention.

The signatories, leaders of Denmark, Italy, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, argue that the current interpretation protects the wrong individuals and excessively restricts states' abilities to decide on expulsions. Meloni and Frederiksen plan to discuss this at a joint conference in Rome.

(With inputs from agencies.)