EU Approves Stricter Deportation Rules – Major Victory for the Sweden Democrats

On Thursday, the European Parliament voted in favor of a stricter legal framework for the deportation of illegal migrants. Charlie Weimers, the Sweden Democrats’ Member of the European Parliament, celebrates and says this is just the beginning.

The new, tougher return regulation will make it easier to deport migrants who are not supposed to remain in Europe. For years, deportation orders have far too rarely been enforced – only one in five who are not permitted to stay actually returns.

More concretely, it means that migrants with a deportation order will be required to cooperate with authorities to facilitate their return. Those who refuse to cooperate risk being detained for up to two years; this also applies in cases where the person is considered likely to abscond.

Parliament has just voted for a new stricter return regulation.

There is a new consensus in Europe.

The era of deportations has begun. pic.twitter.com/Q8VcYD9eBE

— Charlie Weimers MEP ???????? (@weimers) March 26, 2026

On social media, Charlie Weimers commented on the Sweden Democrats’ achievement:

“The new, stricter return rules are the Sweden Democrats’ greatest negotiation success ever in the EU. Soon it will be possible to send home those who should not be in Europe, and return hubs outside the EU will be enabled,” writes the MEP.

Sverigedemokraterna levererar fler utvisningar från Europa pic.twitter.com/nbPBDsdVIM

— Charlie Weimers MEP ???????? (@weimers) March 26, 2026

The vote marks a clear political shift towards a more effective and credible migration policy with a focus on enforcement and results, writes the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, ECR.

“Today’s vote confirms a growing and stable majority in the European Parliament for more effective returns. Only one in five migrants ordered to leave actually does so. This is about restoring credibility. A functioning migration system must ensure that those with no legal right to remain are effectively returned,” says Charlie Weimers.

According to Weimers, the result reflects a broad convergence in Parliament, introducing tougher sanctions against those who refuse to comply with the rules and strengthening the external dimension of ECR’s migration policy.

“This is a clear success for the ECR position. A stable majority has formed around practical, workable migration policies, while the center-left and far-left continue to defend strategies that have not yielded results.”