Mass protest in Madrid
Tens of thousands of people marched through central Madrid on Saturday, many waving red and yellow Spanish flags and chanting that Ceuta is not for sale and must be defended. The demonstration was organised by the right-leaning civil society platform Sociedad Civil Espanola and supported by the conservative People's Party (PP) and the far-right Vox. The central government's representative in Madrid estimated the turnout at around 20,000, while the organisers said 180,000 people participated.[S1]
The organisers' manifesto demanded that a snap general election be held no later than November 15, that every migrant who crossed into Ceuta be sent back to Morocco, and that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez face a treason trial. Spain's next scheduled general election is not required until August 2027. Speaking to reporters at the rally, PP parliamentary spokesman Miguel Tellado said the negligence was obvious and that most Spaniards now want an election.[S1]
Ceuta's humanitarian strain
Situated in North Africa, the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has faced a humanitarian emergency since over 70,000 migrants crossed over from neighbouring Morocco on July 30 and 31. Although the majority went back within hours, several thousand have stayed for weeks, with many forced to sleep outdoors, overburdening the small city's services and generating a political predicament for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.[S1]
Authorities have expanded the number of places at temporary migrant shelters in Ceuta, sent in hundreds of police and soldiers, and raised funding for the territory's administration. Even so, local organisations and opposition parties argue these steps are insufficient to bring the crisis to an end.[S1]
Government response and opposition
According to the daily newspaper El País, which reported on Saturday, the government intends to pass a decree at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting aimed at speeding up the return of migrants from Ceuta to Morocco. The decree would reportedly cut the period available for ruling on asylum requests and restrict applicants' capacity to stay in Spain while their claims are pending.[S1]
Vox leader Santiago Abascal told reporters at the protest that no one can trust this government to do anything and that the government has done nothing throughout this time when asked about the report.[S1]
