At the European Parliament, Estrella Galán said Sumar had stopped the government’s plan to speed up migrant returns from Ceuta, blocking the royal decree before it reached 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.
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. Sumar’s veto forced the government to pull the proposal, putting the issue on hold; the cabinet may revisit it later. Galán made Sumar’s position clear: "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." Spanish media reported that the draft decree was meant to apply retroactively to adults who arrived after the mass crossing on July 30 and 31, 2026. It would have let authorities skip the usual review process in the commission, information from Reuters.
On September 9, 2026, the European Commission announced an emergency aid package of €114.7 million to support Spain in Ceuta, with funding for border control and reception capacity. The package also covers return measures.
Galán spoke after a two-day visit to Ceuta with Jaume Asens. They met with local groups and officials. She also said the European Commission was 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 was to relocate them to the peninsula. Brussels, she said, was pushing back over fears of risks that "are not real."
This government split comes as EU interior and justice ministers prepare to discuss Ceuta’s situation in Luxembourg. Spanish officials say the mood in Europe has changed. At first, Spain’s partners showed little solidarity, prompting criticism from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. After months of talks by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and other officials, the government says 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 fast-track decree was proposed after talks between Madrid and Brussels.
The dispute over moving migrant minors from Ceuta is not new. As reported earlier, Ceuta’s president has at times backed moving some unaccompanied minors to the mainland. The issue is politically charged. Madrid’s official line is that the government wants to speed up decisions for those who cannot stay, while treating unaccompanied minors separately. Each child’s case is reviewed individually, with a focus on family reunification. Le Monde reported that Ceuta’s reception system is under severe strain, with around 2,200 unaccompanied minors in care and an additional 500 to 700 children and adolescents outside formal accommodation, putting 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 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.
