Italy's multimillion-dollar migration deal with Albania, promoted by the European Commission as a model for outsourcing asylum processing, has faltered early in its implementation.

Intended to house 3,000 intercepted asylum seekers, the facilities in Albania have seen only 24 individuals sent, none of whom remain.

Italian judges ruled that detentions in Albania violate EU law, citing a European Court of Justice ruling against declaring non-EU countries as 'safe' for asylum processing.

Criticized as a 'complete failure' costing €1bn over five years, the scheme faces mounting legal and public opposition.

Critics saw legal issues from the outset, noting that similar proposals have failed due to fundamental legal norms.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella and public figures like Elon Musk have publicly clashed over the judiciary's role in the debacle.

As Italy's government faces criticism for fiscal mismanagement amid economic strain, opposition leaders call for an apology and a policy reversal.