Demonstration in Madrid against the management of the migration crisis in Ceuta

Thousands of people gathered in Madrid on Saturday September 26 to protest against the Spanish government's management of the recent influx of migrants in Ceuta, accusing it of not protecting the country's borders and demanding early legislative elections. Protesters, many waving red and yellow Spanish flags, chanted "Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta must be defended" as they marched through the center of the Spanish capital.

Ceuta, a Spanish territory located in North Africa, has been plunged into a humanitarian crisis since the arrival of more than 7,000 migrants from neighboring Morocco on July 30 and 31. Most left within hours, but thousands stayed for weeks, many sleeping on the streets, straining the small town's resources and triggering a political crisis for socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The demonstration was organized by the right-wing civil society platform Sociedad Civil Española and supported by the conservative People's Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party. The central government representative in Madrid estimated the participation at around 2,000 people. Organizers said 180,000 people took part.

Protesters demand new elections

A manifesto published by the platform demands the holding of early legislative elections by November 15, the return to Morocco of all migrants who entered Ceuta and that Pedro Sanchez be tried for “treason”. “The majority of Spaniards are demanding elections now,” PP parliamentary spokesperson Miguel Tellado told reporters at the protest. The next legislative elections must be held no later than August 2027.

The government plans to approve a decree at Tuesday's Council of Ministers meeting to speed up the return of migrants from Ceuta to Morocco, the daily El País reported on Saturday. The new text would reduce the processing time for asylum applications and limit the possibility for applicants to stay in Spain while their file is examined, according to the newspaper.

“No one can trust this government for anything,” criticized Vox leader Santiago Abascal during the demonstration in response to journalists who questioned him about this information.

The government has increased the capacity of temporary accommodation centers for migrants in Ceuta, deployed hundreds of police and soldiers and increased funding allocated to the territory's government. But local groups and opposition parties say these measures are far from enough to resolve the crisis.