Ceuta as a permanent crisis for Pedro Sánchez

Ceuta is becoming a dangerous, ongoing crisis for Pedro Sánchez. More than a month after the mass border crossing of mostly Moroccan migrants, thousands are still living in emergency shelters there, while protests, tightened security measures and reports of unaccompanied minors worsen the humanitarian and security situation.

The crisis then spread to the whole of Spain: tens of thousands demonstrated, and in parliament the opposition, Vox and left-wing allies sharply attacked the head of government because of his handling of Ceuta and Morocco.

Sánchez is particularly burdened by the fact that his otherwise often effective crisis management and foreign policy skills are failing this time because he has to ask for help in Europe and remained cautious towards Morocco for a long time, even though internal reports suggest that the authorities there were in the know.

The Ceuta crisis threatens to damage his credibility in his own camp and increase the chances of a conservative-right-wing extremist change of power before the coming elections.