In Ceuta, it’s up to Europe to clean up the Spanish government’s mess
This article is also available in Spanish.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo is Spain’s leader of the opposition and the president of the People’s Party.
On July 30, at least 80,000 people crossed into Ceuta from Morocco, the largest violation of territorial integrity we have experienced in recent decades. That challenge tested the resilience of Spain’s southern border and, therefore, of Europe’s southern border. It continues 50 days later. With no clear prospect of when it might be resolved. It is therefore time to ask ourselves whether our response matches the scale of what is at stake.
A border is not just a line on a map. It is the expression of a political community that decides which values to protect and which responsibilities to share. When a European border is breached, Europe as a whole becomes weaker. When a border is not properly defended, Europe as a whole is left unprotected. That is what is happening.
The response of the current Spanish government, incapable of acknowledging the true nature of the problem and implementing the correct solution, obliges me to reiterate, first and foremost, the obvious, as the President of Ceuta did last week during his visit to Brussels. We are not witnessing a conventional migration crisis, but rather the consequences of an invasion originating from Morocco, which must therefore be held responsible for having condoned or instigated it.
Normality has disappeared from Ceuta for more than six weeks, and the scenes of chaos, overcrowding and insecurity should both shame us and compel us to act. To think that the prolongation of this situation will have no consequences is a mistake we cannot afford to make: it affects our sovereignty, our collective capacity to defend the rule of law, the safety of our citizens, and the credibility of the European project in ensuring its own stability.
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Undoubtedly, the national authorities are the first to bear the responsibility for resolving this crisis, in accordance with a non-negotiable principle shared by all EU member states under the Pact on Migration and Asylum: those who have entered irregularly must be returned. All of them. The Spanish government’s obligation is not to find accommodation for them, but to expedite their departure.
That said, given the time that has elapsed and the escalation of violent incidents in Ceuta, Europe as a whole must recognize the failure of the Spanish government and exert the necessary pressure to prevent this crisis from becoming entrenched, spreading, or happening again. Just as Europe has responded when faced with other hybrid threats — on energy, trade or disinformation — the attack on our southern border now demands the same determination.
Firstly, the European Union must ensure that Spain implements, with due rigor and efficiency, all the European instruments available to facilitate returns. Secondly, it must clarify why the Kingdom of Morocco itself has reiterated in an official statement its willingness to take back all those who entered on July 30, while Spanish ministers maintain that no such cooperation exists.
Thirdly, it must make full use of all its diplomatic resources to ensure that the relationship with Morocco, a strategic partner for Spain and for the rest of Europe, continues to develop on the basis of transparency and mutual respect. While I advocate the need to establish a loyal and stable relationship with our neighboring country, I believe it is in the interests of the entire European Union to ensure that this relationship is not undermined by the exploitation of migration flows or by the questioning of the Spanish identity of Ceuta and Melilla, territories that are just as European as Berlin, Paris or Brussels.
Finally, I would like to stress that humanity cannot be used as an excuse for inaction in response to what has happened. It is true that the attack on Ceuta did not involve soldiers, that many of those who crossed Europe’s southern border were themselves victims and that, in fact, more than a hundred people died. But contrary to what some cynically claim, it is precisely humanity that compels us to discourage people from risking their lives at sea: this must cease to be a valid means of reaching Europe.
As many know, I aspire to become the next prime minister of Spain. Consequently, it is my duty to seek the support of the European Union and all of its member states for my country at this crucial moment. The first duty of a leader is to guarantee the safety of citizens, defend national sovereignty and uphold the credibility of institutions. But this also reflects a commitment to a certain way of understanding Europe, one that I personally share with all our allies: the responsibility to safeguard its territorial integrity and its values is a shared one. Now it is our turn to defend Ceuta, Spain and Europe.
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