The Spanish government is under pressure after a surge of migrants in Ceuta. Tensions with the Supreme Court, CNI, and security forces have deepened. Ministers now openly question whether parts of the state are working against Sánchez.
The Spanish government is now openly questioning whether parts of its own institutions are working against it. After a week in which the Supreme Court blocked the so-called "ley de nietos" and a confidential police report linked Morocco to the Ceuta border crisis, ministers have stopped hiding their suspicion that the "Estado profundo"—the deep state—is moving against them.
The situation in Ceuta has become the main source of tension. The sudden arrival of up to 80,000 people at the border caught the government by surprise, even though some in the CNI say warnings were given. Officials in Madrid insist that no formal alerts reached senior leadership. The resignation of Ceuta’s chief of staff has only increased scrutiny, and the local government delegate may also be at risk. According to the European Parliament Research Service, the July 2026 influx was the largest in recent years, with estimates ranging from 49,200 to 78,000 as authorities continue to verify the numbers.
The Spanish government requested a permanent Frontex presence in Ceuta, and as of early September 2026, this request was still under review by the European Commission.
Inside the cabinet, frustration is growing. Ministers blame conservative figures in the police, Guardia Civil, CNI, and judiciary for making the government’s response more difficult. One minister points to decisions that have stripped voting rights from hundreds of thousands of Spaniards without removing their nationality, calling these moves senseless and politically driven.
To regain control, the government quickly sent more than 100 police officers to Ceuta to process returns and provide shelter for 6,000 people. But an attempt to strengthen its position by declassifying crisis communications backfired, exposing internal mistakes and drawing criticism from both local officials and national security services. Reports from DW and Reuters show that intelligence services had warned about calls on social media to cross the border, but ministers say they were not aware of how large the influx could be.
The government is increasingly isolated. Coalition partners are keeping their distance, and Sánchez’s inner circle has shrunk to a few loyalists. The Ceuta government, once cooperative, now resists key measures like opening the port for migrants or transferring minors to the mainland. The CNI’s insistence that it did issue warnings has led to a rare public dispute with Moncloa, further eroding trust.
The Spanish government announced a €309 million package to reinforce security services, reception capacity, and Ceuta’s local economy, while the European Commission approved approximately €114.7 million in emergency aid for the city.
European Parliament Research Service
Legal risks are also mounting. A judicial investigation led by judge Tardón, a former PP councillor, has created anxiety among officials who fear being blamed for the humanitarian crisis. Government sources say this atmosphere contributed to the recent resignation in Ceuta’s delegation.
Pedro Sánchez, after a summer of low visibility and growing criticism, is now returning to the media to try to project calm and regain momentum. Despite the turmoil, there are no immediate plans for a cabinet reshuffle, but the sense of vulnerability is clear. The government is hoping to resolve the Ceuta crisis before municipal elections, betting that nine months will be enough to recover from what many see as its most serious challenge since the pandemic.
As previously reported, the dispute over CNI warnings and the resignation in Ceuta have already damaged the PSOE’s standing in the region. Now, the national government faces a broader crisis, with its authority openly questioned by sectors it once considered allies.
This episode has exposed how fragile Spain’s institutional balance can be when political polarization reaches the core of the state. The government’s struggle to manage the Ceuta emergency while facing claims of internal sabotage shows that loyalty to the executive can no longer be taken for granted. With the opposition sensing an opening and cracks appearing in the machinery of state, Sánchez’s hold on power is looking increasingly uncertain. The next few months will show whether the government can regain control or if the "Estado profundo" will force a political reckoning in Madrid.
