European Commission rejects far-right initiative demanding mass deportations

The European Commission formally rejected the "Save Europe Act" on Wednesday, refusing to register the citizen initiative. Roxana Mînzatu, the EU commissioner for social rights, told reporters in Brussels: "It will not be registered by the commission."

Mînzatu explained that the proposal lacked a legal basis. A detailed brief further concluded that the initiative would constitute discrimination based on race and ethnic origin.

Launched in late May by Dutch figure Eva Vlaardingerbroek and Austrian Martin Sellner, the act demanded an end to non-Western immigration. It also proposed incentives for the voluntary deportation of individuals who "constitute a serious cultural or financial burden to member states."

While the initiative is a political exercise, its underlying demand for mass deportation carries significant implications for the European economy. Implementing such policies would disrupt vital workforce sectors, particularly in agriculture, logistics, and hospitality. This creates deep uncertainty for businesses and investors operating across the continent, as sudden shifts in immigration policy could trigger labor shortages and inflate operational costs.

The substantial backing of nearly 600,000 signatures highlights the organizational capacity of the far-right. It demonstrates their ability to mobilize voters and shape the political agenda across national borders, forcing mainstream parties to address these contentious issues ahead of future electoral cycles.

The petition attracted prominent ultranationalist figures, including former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban and his son, newly elected MEP Balázs Orbán. Germany’s Björn Höcke, who was previously fined for using Nazi-era slogans, and Identitarian Movement’s Maximilian Märkl also endorsed the text, signaling a unified front among disparate nationalist groups.

Support extended to several current members of the European Parliament, illustrating the movement's institutional foothold. Signatories included Italy’s Roberto Vannacci, who recently launched the pro-Russia aligned National Future party. Austria’s Petra Steger and Belgium’s Filip Dewinter and Barbara Bonte also put their names to the proposal.

Additional parliamentary backers comprised Tomasz Froelich of Germany, Milan Uhrik of Slovakia, Branko Grims of Slovenia, and Poland’s Dominik Tarczyński. Vlaardingerbroek recently staged a publicity stunt outside the European Parliament to promote the cause, later posting on X: "The people want remigration!"