Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is facing a major test of his relatively migrant-friendly political record after tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The influx has intensified pressure on his government to restore control at the border while maintaining its humanitarian approach, and has reopened tensions with Morocco and other European governments over migration policy.

Spanish authorities estimated that at least 50,000 people entered Ceuta in roughly 24 hours, while the city’s leader put the figure nearer 60,000; the scale exceeded the 2021 crisis. Sánchez described the incident as a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity and blamed trafficking networks, while critics linked it to Spain’s recent policy of granting legal status to some undocumented workers. Spain has deployed additional security measures and sought European support as it manages returns, humanitarian needs and diplomatic fallout.