Sumar has openly claimed responsibility for halting a government decree aimed at speeding up migrant returns from Ceuta. The move exposes sharp divisions within Spain’s coalition and raises new questions about the future of migration policy at the country’s southern border.
Estrella Galán stood in the European Parliament and made it plain. Sumar stopped the government’s plan to speed up migrant returns from Ceuta. The party blocked the royal decree before it could even reach the Council of Ministers. "We, the Sumar parliamentary group and Sumar ministers, have been the ones who stopped the royal decree from going to the Council of Ministers on Tuesday," Galán said. She did not hide Sumar’s role.
The government had planned to approve the decree alongside new housing rules. The measure would have cut the time needed to process cases and send back migrants who cannot stay in Spain. That did not happen. Sumar’s veto forced the government to pull the proposal. Now, the issue is on hold. The cabinet may revisit it later. Galán left no doubt about Sumar’s position: "We will be very critical. We are analyzing the proposal and, without a doubt, we will vote against anything that means a rollback of rights." Independent Spanish media reported the draft decree was meant to apply retroactively to adults who arrived after the mass crossing on July 30–31, 2026. It would have let authorities skip the usual review process in the commission, according to Reuters.
On September 9, 2026, the European Commission announced an emergency aid package of €114.7 million to support Spain in Ceuta, including funding for border control, reception capacity, and return measures.
Galán spoke after a two-day visit to Ceuta with Jaume Asens. They met with local groups and officials. She also revealed that the European Commission is pressuring Spain not to move unaccompanied migrant minors from Ceuta to the mainland. Galán called the children’s living conditions "inhumane." She said the only humane answer is to relocate them to the peninsula. But, according to her, Brussels is pushing back. The reason? Fears of risks that "are not real," she said.
This government split comes as EU interior and justice ministers get ready to discuss Ceuta’s situation in Luxembourg. Spanish officials say the mood in Europe has changed. At first, Spain’s partners showed little solidarity. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized them for it. But after months of talks by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and other officials, the government claims criticism from other EU countries has eased. Spanish press reports say Grande-Marlaska asked the European Commission on September 17 for ways to speed up returns during migration crises. The idea for the fast-track decree came after Madrid and Brussels held talks.
The fight over moving migrant minors from Ceuta is not new. As reported earlier, even Ceuta’s president has sometimes backed moving some unaccompanied minors to the mainland. The issue is tangled and politically charged. Madrid’s official line is clear. The government wants to speed up decisions for those who cannot stay, but unaccompanied minors are a separate case. Each child’s case is reviewed one by one, with a focus on family reunification.
Recent European and French-language reports indicate that Ceuta’s reception system is under severe strain, with around 2,200 unaccompanied minors in care and an additional 500–700 children and adolescents outside formal accommodation, underscoring the pressure on local infrastructure.
Sumar’s public veto has deepened the rift inside Spain’s coalition government. By blocking the decree, Sumar delayed a controversial plan and forced the government to face its own limits on border policy. The party is ready to challenge both Madrid and Brussels on migrant rights. Any move to cut protections will meet strong resistance from inside the ruling alliance. The message is clear.
