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Paolo Gentiloni will take a much harder stance on the problem than his party colleague Matteo Renzi, under whose leadership hundreds of thousands of migrants entered the EU through Italy.

A two-page directive has reportedly been sent out to police stations across Italy ordering officers to increase efforts to deport economic migrants.

The document was drafted by chief of police Franco Gabrielli and part-published in Italian newspaper Courier della Sera.

Indicating fear of terror in Europe, the notice says the change is important to battle “a growing migratory pressure and an international context marked by instability and threats”.

Italy will open 16 detention centres for migrants under new rules where those detained will stay until deportation can be arranged.

Europhile Matteo Renzi said he could manage integration in Italy and refused investment in detention centres.

But wanes of migrants landed on Italian islands and scenes of chaos were broadcast over international news channels.