Published on 09/09/2026 – 18:33 GMT+2
The European Parliament will debate the situation in Ceuta next Tuesday in Strasbourg, following a decision by political group leaders in Brussels on Wednesday. The session is expected to become a forum for sharp political confrontation.
The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) also pushed to include a resolution for lawmakers to vote on after the debate, in a move widely seen as an effort to challenge the Spanish government led by Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The debate is expected to be contentious, with the EPP preparing to confront Sánchez directly.
“The prime minister described [the Ceuta crisis] as an attack on Spain’s territorial integrity, but he has not responded accordingly,” EPP senior MEP Javier Zarzalejos said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Other conservative and far-right parties are also expected to criticise Sánchez, linking the large influx of people into Ceuta with Spain’s plans to regularise large numbers of undocumented migrants.
The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group will defend Spain’s position, calling for European solidarity and criticising other governments for failing to present a united response after thousands of migrants suddenly arrived in Ceuta.
“The narrative adopted by some prime ministers was simply shocking. They attacked Spain instead of showing support,” a senior S&D MEP told Euronews on condition of anonymity.
The final title of the debate reflects a compromise between competing political positions. Parliament’s agenda describes it as: “The recent hybrid attacks and instrumentalisation of migrants in Ceuta and the need for a coordinated response to protect the EU’s external borders.”
The resolution, which is expected to be put to a vote next Tuesday, is likely to spark disputes over amendments and its final wording. Right-wing groups are expected to demand a tougher position on migration and stronger criticism of Spain’s handling of the crisis.
Ceuta’s president has said the Spanish exclave is “on the brink of collapse” after around 80,000 irregular migrants entered on 30 July. Several thousand people, including unaccompanied minors, remain in the city, creating what authorities have described as an untenable humanitarian situation.
Meanwhile, Madrid has faced further turmoil following the leak of a police report suggesting that Moroccan forces helped push migrants toward Ceuta, a claim that Sánchez has not yet confirmed.
The crisis has also had repercussions across Europe. Twenty-two EU countries called for an emergency meeting in August, while Italy reintroduced border checks at its air and maritime borders with Spain.
On Wednesday, the European Commission agreed to provide Spain with €114.7 million in emergency assistance to help manage the situation, following a request submitted by Madrid on 24 August.
