Pedro Sánchez has pledged fresh funding for Ceuta, including direct aid for small businesses and self-employed workers from October. He accused PP and Vox of seeking political images instead of helping solve the crisis.
Pedro Sánchez has put 309 million euros behind the Government's promise to restore normality in Ceuta after the mass arrival of migrants. He also announced direct payments for the city's self-employed workers and small and medium-sized businesses from early October. At the same time, he accused PP and Vox of using the crisis as a political weapon instead of helping resolve it.
The clash came at the PSC's Fiesta de la Rosa in La Pineda de Gavà, Barcelona. Sánchez appeared with Salvador Illa and municipal mayor Gemma Badia. The prime minister said the opposition had spent eight years following a strategy that treats Spain's difficulties as a chance to weaken the Government.
The 309-million-euro package approved by the Spanish Congress on 16 September includes 118 million euros for the reception of minors and humanitarian assistance, 90 million for security, 80 million for businesses and workers, and 21 million for basic services.
His criticism was aimed at both parties. Sánchez said their conduct was destructive. He argued that they cared more about getting a photograph of the crisis than about offering practical answers for Ceuta.
The Government's financial package is the main measure put forward by the prime minister. Sánchez said the 309 million euros represented the largest social shield in the city's history. He added that 80 million would be mobilised before the end of the year.
According to Sánchez's presentation, that second figure is about 4% of Ceuta's gross domestic product. The package is also meant to provide a dignified response for people affected by the crisis and strengthen border controls.
The European Commission had previously allocated 114.7 million euros in emergency assistance to Ceuta. Reports put the total amount mobilised through European and Spanish measures at more than 423 million euros, although the figures refer to separate sources of support.
The pressure on the city has grown into a wider fight between the Government and the opposition. Earlier reporting covered accusations aimed at Juan Jesús Vivas and Alberto Núñez Feijóo over their handling of the migration crisis.
Sánchez said his commitment to Ceuta had been made clear on 30 and 31 July. He repeated that the Government would provide the resources needed to bring the autonomous city back to normality after the mass entry of migrants.
Reports on the parliamentary vote said the measures had been in force since 2 September and needed parliamentary confirmation within 30 days. Congress approved the package on 16 September. The Partido Popular supported its ratification, while Vox voted against it. The result underlined the political divide over the Government's response.
His speech also linked the dispute over Ceuta to the Government's wider programme in Catalonia. Sánchez defended Salvador Illa's management. He said the region in 2026 was closer to the version sought by Catalans because it was attracting attention for what it creates, rather than for conflict with Madrid.
He credited the PSC with putting coexistence, respect and reforms first. In Sánchez's account, Illa's government is focused on reindustrialisation, new technologies and stronger public services instead of governing through constant conflict.
Financing added another point of tension. Sánchez defended a new autonomous community funding system that he said would provide more than 21 billion euros in additional resources. He accused PP and Vox of blocking access to those funds and urged other political forces to support the proposal.
Opposition criticism has focused on the size and rollout of the aid as well as migration policy. PP representatives have demanded tougher action, including measures involving the return and transfer of migrants. They have also used the dispute to call for the Government's resignation. In the European Parliament, representatives of PP and Vox have placed the episode within a wider dispute involving EU-Morocco relations. They have described the pressure on Ceuta as a form of hybrid warfare.
The immediate test is practical. Will the promised money reach Ceuta's businesses in October? Will the wider package restore normality after the migration crisis? The Government has put border reinforcement, economic support and help for affected people into one response. Sánchez has portrayed PP and Vox as opponents more interested in political images than implementation. The dispute will be judged not only by the language around the crisis, but by the funding and measures that reach Ceuta.
