Ceuta migrant influx sparks political backlash and calls for new Spain-Morocco policy

On Friday, authorities started relocating thousands of migrants from the beaches of Benítez and El Trampolín to two newly opened reception centres in Ceuta's port, a process repeatedly halted by crowds scrambling for scarce places. The chaotic displacement has ignited political controversy: ERC president Oriol Junqueras called for the effective application of amnesty to undo the judicial case against the 2017 Catalan referendum, while PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo voiced support for Vox's Santiago Abascal after a reported assault attempt in Tarragona.

Socialist spokesperson Patxi López accused the PP of lacking proposals and seeking power, and IU coordinator Antonio Maíllo urged Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to urgently reassess Spain's relationship with Morocco, blaming the North African state for a "hybrid attack". The episode also prompted Vox to schedule a parliamentary vote on reaffirming Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta, Melilla and nearby islands, and it will feature in Sánchez's upcoming UN General Assembly address.