Pedro Sánchez and PSOE’s leadership are under pressure after the far right’s strong showing in Saxony-Anhalt, which Sánchez cited as he urged his party to regroup. His government also faces growing criticism over its handling of the Ceuta border crisis. Morale inside the party is low, and public confidence is slipping: a recent poll found that 63% of Spaniards are dissatisfied with the handling of the border standoff. El País reports that European analysts view the German results as a warning for mainstream parties, adding to the pressure within PSOE.
Sánchez addressed PSOE deputies, senators, and MEPs, warning of the far right’s rise in Europe and pointing to Alternativa para Alemania’s 44% result as a serious threat. He argued that Spain’s progressive coalition is now the last major barrier against a continent-wide reactionary wave. His comments on Ceuta, but, were brief and avoided self-critique, even as the crisis entered its sixth week without resolution. Reuters reports that opposition parties continue to demand clarity on the government’s border strategy and its approach to Morocco.
Sánchez promised that Ceuta would “soon return to normal” and that the government’s actions would leave the city “stronger,” but did not mention Morocco directly. That omission stands out: 90% of those polled blame Rabat for the influx of irregular migrants. Instead, Sánchez linked his government’s declining support to attacks from what he called the “international far right.” Spain’s Ministry of the Interior says irregular border crossings in Ceuta during the crisis reached a record high for the enclave.
The government plans to declassify documents on the origins and management of the Ceuta crisis. Sánchez has promised transparency and said he will clarify what happened during the July surge, when 80,000 irregular migrants entered Ceuta and 72,000 left in the following days. He said those entitled to asylum would receive it, while others would be returned under Spanish law. Some civil society groups have welcomed the move to declassify the documents, but critics say it may not resolve the deeper diplomatic tensions with Morocco.
Despite these assurances, unease persists inside PSOE. The party’s parliamentary ranks, once buoyed by Sánchez’s international profile and his positions on military spending and Gaza, now face renewed judicial scrutiny and political fatigue. The recent call for Begoña Gómez to appear in court has deepened the sense of vulnerability, echoing the isolation felt by Madrid’s leadership during the penthouse scandal reported earlier.
Sánchez is trying to cast PSOE as the only effective counterweight to the far right, warning that traditional conservatives are enabling extremist advances. He urged his party to remain ambitious and resist what he called an “alliance of regression” between a radicalized right and a stronger far right. The approach echoes his earlier warnings about PP-VOX pacts before the 2023 general election.
The government’s ability to pass a new budget will be a basic test. The last approved budget dates to 2023, and Sánchez has promised that the next will include the largest social spending in Spanish history. If he cannot secure support from the investiture bloc, early elections could follow. Some PSOE officials now see that as preferable to waiting until after next May’s regional and municipal votes.
On policy, Sánchez defended the recent reform of the regional financing system. It passed with support from Catalonia and the Canary Islands but faced opposition from other regions wary of previous deals with ERC. He also renewed calls for a national pact on climate emergencies, criticizing regional leaders who, in his view, put tax breaks for elites ahead of investment in public services and disaster prevention. Madrid’s president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, was singled out over housing policy, with Sánchez promising to protect the right to affordable homes from what he described as luxury real estate excesses.
Spain’s political scene is shaped by a government fighting on several fronts. It is defending its social and economic record while managing a drawn-out border crisis and pushing back against the resurgent far-right narrative at home and abroad. The government’s reluctance to confront Morocco directly, alongside its focus on external threats, suggests a leadership more concerned with rallying its base than addressing the root causes of its current problems. With the next budget fight approaching, Sánchez is betting on presenting PSOE as the last line of defense against extremism, even as doubts grow inside the party and pressure mounts from outside.
