EU Commission chief touts migration control progress, hints at youth mobility plan

In her State of the Union address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen framed irregular migration as a declining trend, crediting tighter controls and framing migrants as victims of smugglers. She signaled a 'new' initiative aimed at young people, likely a legal mobility pathway, though details remain unspecified. The speech signals a continued EU policy shift toward deterrence while offering a limited pro-migration gesture to balance political pressures.