Externalising Perceived Crises: A View from Europe’s Southern and Eastern Neighbours

European discourses on migration have historically been dominated by a crisis narrative, often centred around the influx of non-EU migrants. This Eurocentric perspective has led to policies focusing on externalising border control through agreements with neighbouring non-EU countries, such as the EU-Turkey Deal in 2016 and proposed ‘disembarkation platforms’ in North Africa in 2018. This paper examines how such policies are perceived in Turkey and Tunisia, based on media analysis. In Turkey, the EU-Turkey Deal is criticized but it is also seen as a strategic opportunity amidst domestic political and economic challenges, while in Tunisia, the perceived migration crisis is framed as a European political issue, with Tunisia resisting EU pressure to host disembarkation centres. The analysis highlights that European migration crises are narrated differently in neighbouring regions, influenced by local political dynamics and strategic interests. This divergence in perceptions underscores the need for the EU to consider the viewpoints of non-EU states in its migration governance efforts.