Patriots Deliver as Parliament Adopts Tough New Return Regulation

Strasbourg, 17/06/2026 - The Patriots for Europe group today welcomed the adoption of the new European Return Regulation, a deal shaped by the pressure the Patriots brought to bear throughout the negotiations. It opens the door to return hubs outside the EU, strips appeals of their automatic suspensive effect so removals continue even when contested in court, and presses countries of origin to take back their nationals. Almost every provision lets Member States go further, restoring sovereignty to national governments.

"There is a migration crisis in Europe," said Patriots president Jordan Bardella. "It's the most drastic regulation adopted in the EU since its creation as far as immigration is concerned. We have been playing a leading role here. Now there is a consensus to harden Europe's migration policy."

Bardella credited the outcome to a wider realignment in the Parliament: "The EPP has managed to shake off the Stockholm syndrome it was suffering from to support the demands of the Patriot forces.

"He thanked the group's rapporteur, MEP Marieke Ehlers, for her work, as well as MEP Fabrice Leggeri, who also worked hard on the report. Group First Vice President Kinga Gál paid tribute to that effort: "All this would not have been possible without the Patriots.”

The president warned that adoption is only the beginning. "We have honoured our promise. But policies make no sense if returns aren't actually enforced. Those who cannot remain on our territory need to be removed to protect our external borders," he said.

Fabrice Leggeri framed the text as the end of a long institutional failure. "For years, Brussels has done more to protect illegal migrants from removal than to protect Europeans from the consequences of illegal immigration. This text finally marks a change of direction," he said. "The Return Regulation is a victory of common sense over ideology."

"Returning swiftly migrants illegally staying in Europe or breaking our laws is what most of our citizens want. The Patriots have delivered," he concluded.

While Patriots for Europe maintain that full authority over migration should ultimately rest with the Member States, and recognise that the agreement falls short of that ambition, we regard it as the strongest result achievable under the current balance of forces in the European Parliament.