One month after the storming of the border fences in the Spanish exclave Ceuta, the situation is becoming increasingly critical. With still thousands of migrants in the exclave on the North African coast, pressure on the Spanish government is mounting. Tonight, the squares in many Spanish cities will fill with people showing their support for the inhabitants of Ceuta.
The demonstration, which was initially organized to show that support, seems to be turning into an anti-government protest. It was the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) that called on people to take to the streets. Precisely today, on September 2, during the annual celebration of Ceuta Day, which commemorates the city's autonomy.
Political considerations
The chairwoman of FEMP, María José García-Pelayo, is a member of the conservative-right opposition party Partido Popular (PP). This is the reason the socialist party (PSOE) of Prime Minister Sánchez claims that the call for the demonstration is politically motivated. The PSOE instructed its members not to participate in the demonstrations.
However, municipalities across the country responded to the call and are asking their residents to join with posters and messages on social media. And despite the involvement of the socialist party, according to a survey by the newspaper El Mundo, dozens of PSOE councilors will still take to the streets tonight.
In Madrid, a legal conflict also arose over the demonstration. A government delegation stated that a municipality does not legally have the right to request this demonstration itself. However, the Madrid municipality insists on the gathering and announced via a press release that Mayor Martínez-Almeida (PP) will be present today.
'Absent and indifferent'
With this dispute among others, the new political year in Spain begins this week. The criticism of the government is that it is doing too little and not seeking solutions. Especially the opposition and the municipal government of Ceuta expressed this criticism. During one of his media appearances last week, Alberto Feijóo, party leader of the PP, accused the government of being "absent, passive and indifferent" regarding the crisis in Ceuta.
More than a month after the massive influx of migrants into the Spanish exclave, thousands of illegal migrants are still present. Day by day, tensions between the migrants and the inhabitants are becoming more noticeable. There are reports of aggression, scuffles, and sexual violence, which contribute to an unsettled situation.
With schools set to start next week, residents are becoming increasingly worried. Meanwhile, the migrants need more and more care and many are running out of money.
While the government is accused of not having done enough to improve the situation, steps have indeed been taken. For example, the government approved a relief package of 309 million euros. This money will not only go to migration reception but will also be invested in aid for the residents of the exclave.
Spain also finally requested help from the European Commission's border guard Frontex, after previously rejecting European operational support.
Attitude towards Morocco
Meanwhile, criticism is also bubbling up within the coalition. Especially regarding the possible responsibility of Morocco in the entire crisis. In an interview with radio station Cadena SER, Prime Minister Sánchez said on Monday that there are no indications of involvement by the Moroccan government.
However, according to various government partners, his attitude towards Morocco could be more critical. Sánchez did mention a European investigation that supposedly shows that Israel and Russia are involved. This investigation by the European diplomatic service does not appear to be publicly available anywhere.
All in all, the socialist party is in troubled waters, and that at the start of a political year that would already be difficult for the party. Just before the summer recess, the party managed to avert a major crisis when corruption cases involving confidants and family members of Prime Minister Sánchez piled up. The cases against former Prime Minister Zapatero, the prime minister's wife, and his brother are still ongoing. None of these cases have yet resulted in a definitive conviction.
The coming days will have to show whether the government succeeds in restoring calm in Ceuta and at the same time regaining the trust of its political allies. Tomorrow, the prime minister will report to the congress about the handling of the crisis in Ceuta. After his statement, the various parliamentary factions will have the opportunity to question Sánchez.