Italy’s far right turns Lampedusa’s refugee crisis to its advantage

The tiny island, once famed for its welcoming approach to those risking their lives in the Mediterranean, is centre stage as elections approach

A few days after the downfall of Italy's government, Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right League party, began preparing his electoral campaign for upcoming national elections the only way he knows: by targeting refugees.

First he started a series of posts on Twitter featuring news of crimes and rapes allegedly attributed to what he described as fake refugees". Then, last week, Salvini, a former interior minister who made high-profile moves to block the arrival of asylum seekers at Italian ports, arrived in Lampedusa.