Spain’s Far-Right Seizes on Border Crisis as Thousands of Migrants Return to Morocco

The vast majority of the tens of thousands of migrants who surged into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta have now returned to Morocco, with shops reopening and the seafront repopulating. However, the political fallout in Spain is only beginning to intensify, with the crisis becoming a flashpoint in the country’s increasingly polarised political landscape. Far-right party leaders have arrived in the city to declare the situation an “invasion” and an “act of war”, while the conservative opposition has hardened its rhetoric, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has lashed out at other European nations for abandoning Spain to handle the crisis alone.

Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast and part of Spain’s territory, prides itself on its multicultural heritage and peaceful coexistence between communities. Yet the migration surge has triggered fierce political debate, with demonstrators taking to the streets declaring “we will never be divided”. The crisis has become a rallying point for Spain’s far-right movement, which is seeking to capitalise on public anxieties about migration and border security.

Sánchez’s comments reflect growing frustration with Europe’s response to the influx, with Spain arguing it has borne a disproportionate burden in managing the migration pressures affecting the continent. The incident underscores how migration continues to drive political divisions across Europe, with far-right and conservative parties using border incidents to advance their political agendas and challenge incumbent governments on immigration policy.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.