The European Parliament examined the migration crisis in Ceuta during a tense session on Tuesday. This meeting took place just one day before a significant speech by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and led to intense internal disputes among political groups.
Political Conflicts Over Crisis Management
The two main groups that form the moderate majority, namely the European People's Party (EPP) and the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), engaged in a heated debate about the implications of the mass influx of migrants into Ceuta on July 30-31. During this period, around 80,000 people crossed the border illegally, and over 150 lost their lives. Iratxe García Pérez, the leader of the Socialists, directly attacked the European People's Party, stating: "The European People's Party has been exploiting Ceuta for over a month to attack the Spanish government."
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Criticism of Spain's Immigration Policies
S&D members supported Sánchez's government and criticized other EU countries for failing to support Spain. Some representatives also criticized the Italian government for recently extending its border controls with Spain for another 15 days. Sandro Rutolo, an Italian Socialist representative, criticized this duality in immigration policies, saying: "Meloni has asked Italy to show solidarity for Lampedusa, but does not do so for Ceuta."
Meanwhile, EPP representatives criticized Sánchez's government, accusing it of failing to prevent migrants from entering Europe. A recently released Spanish police report indicated that Moroccan forces played a role in directing migrants toward Ceuta, which fueled criticism of the Spanish government.
However, internal conflicts were not limited to these two groups, as far-right and radical left representatives also made provocative statements during the meeting. Isabel Serra Sánchez, a Podemos representative, criticized her right-wing colleagues, saying: "They have turned Ceuta into a laboratory of hate."
A resolution on this issue is expected to be put to a vote on Thursday. This resolution may serve as a tool to highlight further divisions between the two main moderate groups.
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