By Eric J. Lyman
ROME, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Italy's decision to close its ports to new migrant arrivals has sparked the most direct clash yet between the country's new European Union-skeptic government and EU leadership in Brussels.
The Aquarius, a ship operated by the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders and loaded with 629 refugees, was the first ship caught in the crosshairs of this new policy.
On board are more than 120 minors traveling unaccompanied and at least seven pregnant women.
The vessel was stranded at sea and in danger of running low on food and fuel after Italy and Malta, the two closest destinations, refused to let the ship land.
Disaster was averted Monday, after the ship had been at sea for more than 36 hours, when new Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he would allow the Aquarius to land in the Spanish port of Valencia in order to "avoid disaster".
There are conflicting reports about whether the Aquarius has the fuel, fresh water, and food for the 1,200-kilometer (750-mile) journey to Valencia.
Whatever happens, few think the problem will stop there. Sanchez stressed that accepting the Aquarius at the Port of Valencia was a one-time solution. Italian media reports say there is an Italian coast guard vessel at sea with more than 700 more migrants on board.
The nationalist, anti-migrant League is one of the two partners in the Italian government installed June 1.
The leader of the party and Italy's new interior minister, Matteo Salvini, has been one of Italy's most vocal critics of migrants, vowing to kick as many as 500,000 of them out of the country. Upon assuming office he immediately warned that if the EU doesn't do more to help Italy, the country would "choose other methods".
"Salvini has defined himself by this issue and he has to make at least symbolic steps to satisfy his base," Stefano Allievi, a sociologist with the University of Padova and a commentator on migrant issues, told Xinhua. "This is an important fight because Italy feels it's been abandoned by the rest of Europe."
On Sunday, Salvini vowed to stop what he called "the filthy business of illegal immigration".
When the Aquarius was diverted to Spain the following day, Salvini went to social media and declared victory, claiming that his "first goal" had been reached.
At a press conference, Salvini said Spain had a "good heart" for accepting the refugees, but he warned the EU could not count on such actions. He noted that Malta, the closest port to the Aquarius when it was adrift, also refused to take action. The episode has caused a rift between Italy and Malta.
Polls show the League's hardline stance on migrants seems to be working. In the March 4 general election, the League finished third with about 17 percent of the vote, behind government partner the anti-establishment Five-Star Movement, which totaled 32 percent, and the Democratic Party, which polled 19 percent and is now part of the opposition.
But recent polls show the League with support of nearly a third of voters, in a statistical tie with the Five-Star Movement.
The Five-Star Movement does not support anti-migrant policies as strong as those from the League, but Five-Star leader Luigi Di Maio, Italy's minister of labor, said he supports recent moves from the League.
"The longer this drags on, the stronger that Salvini, the League, and the anti-migrant sentiment in Italy will grow," Allievi predicted.
More than 600,000 migrants have landed on Italy's shores since the start of 2014, and polls show many Italian blame the new arrivals for increases in crime, drug use, prostitution, and delinquency.
