The streets of Madrid were flooded with crowds on Saturday (26/09), as thousands of people gathered to protest against the Spanish government’s handling of the recent surge of migrants into Ceuta. Demonstrators accused the Spanish government of failing to protect the country’s borders, while demanding the calling of early parliamentary elections.
Spain: “Ceuta is not for sale”
The protesters, many of whom waved Spanish flags, chanted slogans such as “Ceuta is not for sale, you must defend Ceuta” as they marched through the heart of the Spanish capital.
Ceuta, a Spanish territory located in North Africa, was plunged into a humanitarian crisis following the arrival of more than 7,000 migrants from neighbouring Morocco on July 30th and 31st. Most returned within hours, but thousands remained for weeks, with many sleeping on the streets, placing a significant strain on the resources of the small city and triggering a political crisis for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The demonstration was organised by the right-wing civic platform Sociedad Civil Española, with the backing of the conservative People’s Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party. The central government’s representative in Madrid cited attendance of around 2,000 people, while the organisers claimed 180,000 participants took part in the mobilisation.
Calls for Sánchez to be tried for “treason”
A manifesto published by the platform calls for early parliamentary elections to be held by November 15th, the return to Morocco of all migrants who entered Ceuta, and for Pedro Sánchez to be put on trial for “treason.”
“The majority of Spaniards are demanding elections now,” PP parliamentary spokesperson Miguel Tellado told journalists during the demonstration. The next general election is currently scheduled no later than August 2027.
The government is expected to approve a decree at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting to accelerate the return of migrants from Ceuta to Morocco, the newspaper El País reported. According to the paper, the new decree would allow for shorter processing times for asylum applications and would limit applicants’ ability to remain in Spain while their cases are being reviewed. “No one can trust this government on anything,” Vox leader Santiago Abascal told journalists during the rally, responding to questions about the reported measures.
