Spain's Pedro Sánchez was a hero of migrants. After Ceuta, he faces his biggest challenge
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is facing a significant political crisis following a surge of migrants crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The incident has drawn international criticism from leaders like Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni, while domestic opposition parties are calling for stricter border controls.
Why it matters
The situation highlights the growing tension in European politics regarding migration policy and the potential for border crises to destabilize national governments.
SEVILLE, Spain — When Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stood in front of the media on Friday in Ceuta, the Spanish enclave bordering Morocco, he followed a routine that he has spent years perfecting: rally his supporters, then reclaim control of the narrative.
By Saturday morning, the Spanish government had declared the situation under control, with the army mobilized in the region and the installation of a 500-meter floating barrier off its border with Morocco.
Sánchez sent a letter to European counterparts calling some of them out for "attacking Spain."
But the damage was already done: images of tens of thousands of migrants crossing into Spanish territory from Morocco went around the world, eliciting comments from anti-immigration foreign leaders.
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