"Ceuta has been invaded": the European Parliament positions itself against Sánchez's version
The text, promoted by the EPP and approved with the votes of the far right, demands "responsibility" from Morocco and charges against the Spanish government
BrusselsThe European Parliament has approved this Thursday a resolution that qualifies the arrival of 80,000 migrants in Ceuta as an "invasion". The text, promoted by the European People's Party, went ahead with 339 votes in favor, 225 against, and 16 abstentions, thanks to the support of far-right groups in the European Chamber, in one more sign that Brussels' rhetoric on immigration is hardening at a forced pace.
The motion demands that Morocco respect in an "unconditional" and "non-negotiable" manner Spanish sovereignty and its territorial integrity, and urges Rabat to assume its responsibilities in terms of border control. The text asks the Moroccan authorities to fulfill their responsibilities as a "key partner" of the European Union regarding border management, returns, and migration cooperation, and warns that any statement questioning Spanish sovereignty is "unacceptable" and incompatible with this role as a partner.
The document criticizes the Spanish government. It demands that it strengthen the security, stability, and development of Ceuta and Melilla and make more effective use of European mechanisms to "accelerate returns". At the same time, it asks it to strengthen "cooperation with countries of origin and transit to ensure effective migration management". It also notes that the Assembly of Ceuta unanimously requested the closure of the border, the declaration of a national emergency, and the deployment of the Armed Forces, and that Pedro Sánchez's executive did not heed these requests. And it points out that it took almost a month to formally request the reinforcement of Frontex, Europol, and the EUAA (August 28), "despite the numerous offers from the Commission".
Regarding the decision of the National Court to assume an investigation into the events, the European Chamber asks the Spanish government to "fully cooperate" with the authorities, as it considers that the massive entry of migrants may "constitute a serious attack against the territorial integrity of Spain".
The right-wing majority
The text has had the unanimous support of the European People's Party, Patriots for Europe (Marine Le Pen's group), and European Conservatives and Reformists (Giorgia Meloni's party). The Europe of Sovereign Nations group – of which Alternative for Germany is a part – voted divided.
The popular MEP Dolors Montserrat reacted to the vote by lashing out at Sánchez for him to "immediately apply the European Pact on Migration and Asylum." "Europe achieves in three days what Sánchez has not done in fifty," the Catalan leader wrote on X. And she added that the European Parliament is also sending a "clear message" to Morocco: "Spain's sovereignty and territorial integrity are not negotiable. They must be respected. Unconditionally."
At the beginning of August, twenty-two heads of state and government of the EU had already demanded a coordinated European response to the Ceuta crisis, with similar requests for the strengthening of Frontex and cooperation with Morocco. The letter pointed to the regularization of more than a million migrants promoted by the Spanish government as one of the causes, and warned that irregular entry into the EU must not be allowed to become a legal stay.