How Spain's migrant crisis created a political storm - whipped up by social media
Whatever the cause, Spain's socialist prime minister is angry with the response.
Pedro Sanchez has hit out at some in the EU for "attacking" Spain in this crisis, playing politics instead of showing support.
He meant Italy, above all.
Fratelli d'Italia, the hard-right party of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, had been quick to post images of migrants racing through the streets of Ceuta.
"This is the Sanchez model the Italian left wing likes so much," the caption crowed.
Meloni then announced she was suspending Italy's Schengen agreement with Spain that allows for the free movement of people, citing a security threat.
Madrid is fuming.
The way Spain sees it, the crisis has been contained and Ceuta is not in the Schengen zone so Moroccan migrants were never going to head for mainland Europe, unchecked.
Meloni knows that.
But she faces elections next year with her coalition losing ground to a new and virulently anti-immigrant party. This was a chance to sound tough herself and claw back votes and she leaped on it.
Italy is not the only country to see Spain as soft on migration, though.
Meloni's call for an urgent meeting of interior ministers to be held on Tuesday was signed by almost two dozen EU heads of state, calling for the elimination of all policies that could be "pull factors" to Europe.
Above all, they mean Spain's controversial move to allow hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants apply for residence and work permits and "regularise" their status.
The government's pragmatic: Spain is ageing and needs workers.
But those who flocked to the beaches of Ceuta this week were not heading to sign up for a campaign that's already closed.
Sanchez himself points instead to a recent ruling by Spain's Supreme Court: it said those who enter by sea cannot be pushed back immediately.
The prime minister argues that was misrepresented by smugglers to promise an easy path to Europe.
The crowd heading for Ceuta didn't need to pay smugglers, though, because most were Moroccan and the route is well known.
The message was actually spread online.
Migrants have shown social media posts to reporters with people shouting that "Spain is Open" and jumping into the sea.
Multiple accounts we've checked ourselves show young people in wetsuits and flippers, or filming themselves already swimming, mixed with pictures from inside Ceuta itself.
Some have only been active for weeks. Several have tens of thousands of likes.
All their promises were false.
The crowds who made it to kiss the shore in Ceuta with joy were met with nothing. Without food or shelter, and with no way on to continental Europe, most quickly turned back.
So have migrants been "weaponised" as happened a few years back in Belarus, for example?
If so, who did it?
For now we only see those enjoying the results.
The global right wing are "hyperventilating with happiness", as journalist Andrea Rizzi wrote in Spain's El Pais newspaper.
US President Donald Trump, angry at Spain for opposing his war on Iran, has talked of a "catastrophe" and an "invasion". Like Meloni, he has an election looming.
Russia has been gloating, too: it loves chaos and division in Europe. Anything to weaken Ukraine's allies.
As for Morocco, it's blaming "criminal organisations". But its border guards must have seen the crowds building.
The last time something similar happened, albeit smaller, Spain and Morocco were at loggerheads over Western Sahara, a former colony.
There are new tensions, right now.
Sanchez is emphatically not blaming Morocco for what happened, calling Rabat a "good ally".
But his critics call that appeasement and say he should be "showing teeth".
Read the full story at BBC ↗
Spain experienced a surge of migrants attempting to enter Ceuta following coordinated social media posts claiming easy entry to Europe. Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez attributed the response from EU counterparts—particularly Italy's Prime Minister Meloni—to political opportunism rather than genuine security concern. Meloni suspended Italy's Schengen travel agreement with Spain, citing security threats, despite Ceuta being outside the Schengen zone. Spain's government argues the crisis was contained and points to a Spanish Supreme Court ruling on sea arrivals as having been misrepresented by smugglers. The incident has drawn commentary and responses from multiple actors including the US, Russia, and Morocco, each with distinct political or geopolitical interests. The underlying causes remain complex and contested.
Read the full story at BBC ↗
Whatever the cause, Spain's socialist prime minister is angry with the response.
Pedro Sanchez has hit out at some in the EU for "attacking" Spain in this crisis, playing politics instead of showing support.
He meant Italy, above all.
Fratelli d'Italia, the hard-right party of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, had been quick to post images of migrants racing through the streets of Ceuta.
"This is the Sanchez model the Italian left wing likes so much," the caption crowed.
Meloni then announced she was suspending Italy's Schengen agreement with Spain that allows for the free movement of people, citing a security threat.
Madrid is fuming.
The way Spain sees it, the crisis has been contained and Ceuta is not in the Schengen zone so Moroccan migrants were never going to head for mainland Europe, unchecked.
Meloni knows that.
But she faces elections next year with her coalition losing ground to a new and virulently anti-immigrant party. This was a chance to sound tough herself and claw back votes and she leaped on it.
Italy is not the only country to see Spain as soft on migration, though.
Meloni's call for an urgent meeting of interior ministers to be held on Tuesday was signed by almost two dozen EU heads of state, calling for the elimination of all policies that could be "pull factors" to Europe.
Above all, they mean Spain's controversial move to allow hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants apply for residence and work permits and "regularise" their status.
The government's pragmatic: Spain is ageing and needs workers.
But those who flocked to the beaches of Ceuta this week were not heading to sign up for a campaign that's already closed.
Sanchez himself points instead to a recent ruling by Spain's Supreme Court: it said those who enter by sea cannot be pushed back immediately.
The prime minister argues that was misrepresented by smugglers to promise an easy path to Europe.
The crowd heading for Ceuta didn't need to pay smugglers, though, because most were Moroccan and the route is well known.
The message was actually spread online.
Migrants have shown social media posts to reporters with people shouting that "Spain is Open" and jumping into the sea.
Multiple accounts we've checked ourselves show young people in wetsuits and flippers, or filming themselves already swimming, mixed with pictures from inside Ceuta itself.
Some have only been active for weeks. Several have tens of thousands of likes.
All their promises were false.
The crowds who made it to kiss the shore in Ceuta with joy were met with nothing. Without food or shelter, and with no way on to continental Europe, most quickly turned back.
So have migrants been "weaponised" as happened a few years back in Belarus, for example?
If so, who did it?
For now we only see those enjoying the results.
The global right wing are "hyperventilating with happiness", as journalist Andrea Rizzi wrote in Spain's El Pais newspaper.
US President Donald Trump, angry at Spain for opposing his war on Iran, has talked of a "catastrophe" and an "invasion". Like Meloni, he has an election looming.
Russia has been gloating, too: it loves chaos and division in Europe. Anything to weaken Ukraine's allies.
As for Morocco, it's blaming "criminal organisations". But its border guards must have seen the crowds building.
The last time something similar happened, albeit smaller, Spain and Morocco were at loggerheads over Western Sahara, a former colony.
There are new tensions, right now.
Sanchez is emphatically not blaming Morocco for what happened, calling Rabat a "good ally".
But his critics call that appeasement and say he should be "showing teeth".
Read the full story at BBC ↗
Thousands of migrants raced toward Ceuta's beaches following social media posts showing people entering Spain and declaring 'Spain is Open.' Most migrants who reached Ceuta found no food, shelter, or onward passage to mainland Europe and quickly returned. Prime Minister Sanchez accused some EU members, particularly Italy, of 'attacking' Spain and playing politics instead of offering support. Italy's Fratelli d'Italia party posted images of migrants with captions criticizing the 'Sanchez model,' and Meloni subsequently suspended Italy's Schengen agreement with Spain citing security. Spain's government argues the crisis was contained because Ceuta is not in the Schengen zone and migrants could not reach mainland Europe unchecked. Meloni faces elections next year with her coalition losing ground to a more anti-immigrant party, creating political incentive to appear tough on migration. A Spanish Supreme Court ruling prohibiting immediate pushback of sea arrivals was misrepresented by smugglers as an easy entry path. Multiple EU heads of state signed Meloni's call for an interior ministers meeting to discuss eliminating 'pull factors,' referring partly to Spain's regularization program for undocumented migrants. Spain's regularization policy reflects the government's pragmatic view that an aging population requires workers. Global right-wing figures including US President Trump and Russian actors have amplified narratives around the migrant surge, with distinct political or geopolitical interests. Morocco blamed 'criminal organisations' but its border guards must have observed the crowds gathering. Sanchez called Morocco a 'good ally' and did not blame it, though critics argue this amounts to appeasement.
Read the full story at BBC ↗
- Thousands of migrants rushed Ceuta's beach after social media posts falsely claimed Spain was open to entry; most were turned back with no shelter or onward passage.
- Prime Minister Sanchez blamed EU peers, especially Italy's Meloni, for weaponizing the crisis politically rather than offering support.
- Meloni suspended Schengen travel rights with Spain citing security, though Ceuta sits outside the Schengen zone; she faces domestic election pressure and a rise of harder anti-immigrant rivals.
- Multiple actors—Italy, the US, Russia—have amplified the narrative for electoral or geopolitical advantage; Morocco's role remains unclear.