After Ceuta: why is Spain in the crosshairs?
The interior ministers of the EU member states will hold a video conference today, Tuesday, to discuss the consequences of the Ceuta migrant influx, which has now subsided. Sharp criticism has been levelled at Spain – but the talks will also address the rifts that have opened up within the EU over migration policy and border protection. Italy, for example, has suspended the Schengen rules on travel to and from Spain for one month.
Madrid's failure cries out for consequences
Spain has a lot of work to do, notes Die Welt:
“The floating barrier is a good start. Clear messages to Rabat – which have so far been completely absent – would be an important next step. Perhaps this could be coupled with a warning that development aid could be suspended. There is also an urgent need to clarify why Madrid appeared to be completely unprepared when tens of thousands turned up at the border, despite the fact that rumours of an imminent influx had been circulating for weeks. It seems the central government failed to anticipate the looming crisis, and this failure, too, cries out for consequences.”
Time for solidarity
Politiken is appalled by the open letter initiated by Prime Ministers Meloni and Frederiksen in the aftermath of the Ceuta crisis:
“So much for European cohesion and solidarity. ... When Belarus [2021] and Russia [2023] sent tens of thousands of migrants towards the borders of Poland and Finland, the EU gave its full backing to the member states affected. When Spain was affected, the reaction was the exact opposite. Threats and harsh condemnation of Spain – even though, according to the EU border agency Frontex, Spain has in fact had its external borders under significantly better control over the past five years than, for example, Meloni's Italy.”
A thorn in the side of the right
La Stampa puts the criticism of Spain into a political context:
“In those European countries that are governed by the right, Sánchez's government is unpopular. All the more so given Spain's performance: it tops the economic growth rankings – partly thanks to migration – and is at the bottom of the energy price rankings thanks to its expansion of renewables. And it is precisely migration and green energy that are a thorn in the side of the right. Then there are governments such as Germany's, which, although not far-right, are short-sightedly following in the far-right's footsteps out of fear of being overtaken by it.”
Less self-flagellation and more crisis management
Europe must stand together at times like these, former French prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve argues in Libération:
“Rather than blaming Spain for this crisis, we should instead congratulate it on finding a solution. Rather than threatening one another with exclusionary measures, we would do well to work together with Spain, as well as with the other countries of first reception, to examine whether legal or capacity-related adjustments are needed to guard against future migration crises. Above all, we in Europe already face enough challenges that we must tackle together – in terms of economic competitiveness, climate change and defence – and must avoid tearing each other apart just when crises have been contained and resolved. Solidarity must always take precedence over irresponsibility.”
Don't forget the lives lost
Philosophy professor Diego Garrocho Salcedo admonishes in El País:
“Beyond the political, geostrategic and ideological interpretations, there is a painful, hidden reality: at least 90 lives cut short. I fear that for many this is merely a minor, insignificant consequence. ... Not a single minister has lost his job because of the deaths. ... They were victims, and, as always, poor. They had names, stories, families and fears. The political debate over sovereignty, the EU, the government's incompetence or Morocco's alleged disloyalty will consign them to oblivion. ... This is why, beyond a border and a debate, we must also try to protect a minimum of clarity so that we don't forget what should never be forgotten.”
Power struggle over migration policy
The reactions highlight the turf wars within the EU, correspondent Valérie de Graffenried explains in Le Temps:
“The vast majority of migrants were sent back to Morocco. ... Arriving in Ceuta does not grant access to the Schengen Area, nor does it ensure freedom of movement within the EU. Italy's demand is therefore nothing more than a political slogan. There is no mechanism for excluding a member state from the Schengen Area at the request of other states. ... Every migration crisis intensifies the power struggles and brings divisions to the fore. This is undoubtedly the most worrying lesson to be learned from Ceuta: in Europe, migration is no longer merely a challenge to be addressed but increasingly an instrument of power and manipulation.”
A bone of contention
La Stampa is concerned:
“Italy and Germany are heading a group of 22 countries that advocate taking a hard line against illegal migrants, while France, Portugal, Luxembourg and Ireland back Sánchez's Spain. ... This rift strikes at the very heart of the European project, as it pits those who view illegal immigration as an emergency to be dealt with firmly against those who regard it as a humanitarian problem that must be addressed through reception measures.”
All because of a bad court ruling
A Spanish court ruling caused the chaos in Ceuta, news.bg criticises:
“Sitting comfortably far from the African coast, the judges decided that the sea did not constitute a physical barrier and that immediate deportations were therefore unlawful. The consequences were swift and predictable. The news spread like wildfire in Morocco, thousands rushed into the water, the city was plunged into a humanitarian and social disaster and the local authorities cried in vain for help. Theory-based rulings from the capital have once again shown that when reality is disregarded in favour of abstract judgements, it is those on the front line who pay the price.”
Enticing offer brings people knocking at the door
The Spectator condemns a failed migration policy:
“Naturally, Spain's left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has refused to deploy the military to contain the invaders. Despite the dire scenes, his government has also declined to declare a state of emergency, arguing that migration does not fall within the legal definition of one. ... The Prime Minister, often hailed by the European left as a trailblazing social democrat, has vowed to grant 'amnesty' to 1.5 million illegal migrants already in Spain, handing them full legal status and the right to work. Mr S can hardly be surprised that such an enticing offer has brought yet more people knocking at the door.”
Spain won't forget this
The criticism of Sánchez in Europe misses the point, argues Der Spiegel:
“There has always been a prevailing feeling in Madrid that, when push comes to shove, it could only rely on itself. This has now been confirmed. For years, Spain has been trying to strike a balance in its complicated relationship with Algeria and Morocco. The two African states are arch-enemies. The situation is roughly as follows: if Spain makes overtures to Algeria, Morocco sends migrants. If it makes overtures to Morocco, Algeria cuts off the gas supply. In theory, the EU could easily counter these obvious attempts at blackmail. It's the world's largest single market. ... But to do so, it would have to back Madrid. And instead it has done the opposite. The Spanish will not forget this in a hurry.”
Europe needs pragmatic rules
Europe benefits from immigration – but it needs to be properly managed, news website In insists:
“Not only has Europe taken in large numbers of immigrants and refugees in the past, but this has had a positive impact on both its economy and society. ... We can't complain on the one hand that Europe is an ageing continent, that there is a shortage of workers in certain professions and that entire regions are becoming depopulated and then cry out that we are being invaded when people try to come here to work. Does all this mean 'open borders'? No. Naturally, it requires border controls – precisely to ensure that access to them is above all safe: both for those arriving and for the host countries.”
Jointly protect the external border
El País calls for unity:
“The vast majority of the people who crossed the border illegally in recent days have now left, and this swift resolution of the crisis is good news. ... Spain is a medium-sized European power with sufficient influence not to be intimidated, but this requires unity among the democratic forces in the face of a threat to national interests and a European unity which, unfortunately, has never been complete. ... This division plays into the hands of those outside Europe who seek to undermine Europe's borders with various types of hybrid attacks. Whether it's in Greenland, on the borders with Russia and Belarus or in Ceuta, in all these places the idea of the EU and its sovereignty are being defended.”