August 2, 2026
Far-right politicians call for migrant expulsions, security reinforcement
The border crisis in Ceuta has sparked debates in Spain and across Europe about the Spanish government’s migration policy.
Many governments in Europe have sought to curb immigration, but Spain has pursued a different approach, recently announcing a plan to provide legal status to up to 500,000 undocumented migrants.
Pedro Sanchez and his Socialist government have been heavily criticized this week by politicians from Spain’s right and far-right parties.
The leader of the opposition, the conservative People’s Party’s Alberto Nunez Feijoo, has traveled to the exclave, where he slammed Sanchez for failing to prevent the border rush.
The leader of the far-right Vox party, Santiago Abascal, who was also in Ceuta on Sunday, blamed the Socialist government for the migrant surge, which he described as “an invasion.”
He said the surge was an “act of war” and an “attack on the sovereignty and security of Spaniards.”
Abascal also said Sanchez was “a danger” to the country, and called for the EU-Morocco agreement, which functions as a partial free trade area, to be scrapped.
Far-right influencer and Member of the European Parliament Alvise Perez called for migrants to be expelled during a confrontation with a crowd of rival protesters in Ceuta. Much of the city’s population is of Moroccan descent.
Perez had to shelter in a bar before being escorted away by police.
Sanchez and his government have also been criticized by other right-wing politicians in Europe, most notably Italy’s Interior Minister Antonio Tajani.
Italy has suspended free movement with Spain, even though both are part of the Schengen Area.
