Sanchez demands EU emergency meeting over Ceuta crisis fallout

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has denounced what he called a "selfish, polarizing and unlawful" reaction from some European Union member states to a mass border incursion in Ceuta, demanding an emergency meeting of EU interior ministers as diplomatic tensions escalate across the bloc.

In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent on Saturday and seen by Bloomberg and Euronews, Sánchez expressed "serious concern" over responses he said were "driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest." The letter came after an estimated 60,000 people crossed from Morocco into the Spanish exclave on Thursday, overwhelming border controls and leaving at least 67 dead.news.yahoo+2

Italy Suspends Schengen, Others Tighten Borders

Italy's government officially suspended its Schengen free-movement agreement with Spain for one month beginning Saturday, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni describing the images from Ceuta as "shocking" and calling it an "extraordinary measure" to "safeguard national security." Italy's interior ministry said the suspension would affect maritime and air entry points, with "targeted" checks on non-EU citizens arriving from Spain.dw

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called on the EU to "consider all options, including a suspension of Schengen cooperation," while Finland echoed similar calls. Germany announced it would extend its existing internal border controls beyond September, with Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt citing the "volatile nature of the illegal migration crisis." France deployed hundreds of additional officers to its border with Spain while simultaneously pledging solidarity with Madrid.dw

Spain Defends Its Record

Sánchez pushed back forcefully, writing that Spain has "one of the least porous external borders of the European Union" and citing Frontex data showing far higher irregular migration arrivals through Italy and the Western Balkans between 2021 and 2026. He noted that border control had been restored within 48 hours, with Spanish authorities estimating that 48,300 migrants had returned to Morocco by Friday evening.news.yahoo+1

The Spanish government has attributed the surge to misinformation spread by human trafficking networks about a recent Supreme Court ruling on migration, which was misinterpreted to suggest migrants arriving by sea could not be deported.dw

Broader EU Divisions

The crisis has deepened existing fault lines within the EU over migration policy. Sánchez reminded EU leaders that Spain had shown solidarity during the 2021 Belarus border crisis and the 2023 surge on Italy's Lampedusa island. He has formally requested the European Council convene an urgent video conference of interior ministers to establish a common response and reaffirm shared responsibility for protecting external borders.aa+1

"In the current international context, the European Union cannot afford this kind of selfish, polarizing and unlawful reaction," Sánchez wrote.bloomberg