World
Ceuta crossings trigger political offensive against Sánchez over Spain’s regularisation plan
Approximately 60,000 people crossed the Spanish-Moroccan border at Ceuta on Thursday, prompting European politicians to attack Pedro Sánchez's government and link the arrivals to Spain's regularisation process. Sánchez, present at the scene, characterized the influx as an « attack » on Spanish territorial integrity, which the enclave deems impossible to absorb given its population. Madrid rejects that connection, noting that recent arrivals cannot qualify because applicants must have lived in Spain before January 1, 2026, and show five months of continuous presence. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has called for the Schengen area to be closed with Spain. The European People's Party group wants the crisis placed on the European Parliament's agenda in September 2026.