The longstanding rivalry between Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Margarita Robles, both senior ministers in Pedro Sánchez’s government, has flared again after the recent migration crisis in Ceuta. In late July, 80,000 irregular migrants arrived by swimming across the border, exposing deep divisions within Spain’s cabinet. Marlaska and Robles openly contradicted each other over intelligence and relations with Morocco.
Although both ministers have judicial backgrounds, their paths into government diverged sharply. Marlaska’s appointment as Interior Minister in 2018 surprised many, given his previous ties to the PP and reluctance to run for Madrid’s city council under the PSOE banner. Robles, by contrast, was a close parliamentary ally of Sánchez and had previously served as Secretary of State for the Interior under Felipe González. She was widely tipped for the Interior portfolio but ultimately accepted Defence on the condition that the ministry regain direct control over the Centro Nacional de Inteligencia (CNI).
Sources close to the Interior Ministry say the tension between Marlaska and Robles dates back to their first days in office. Their relationship, described as distant from the outset, has become increasingly public. The latest flashpoint came when Robles told Congress that the CNI had warned of suspicious activity on the Moroccan side of the border before the mass crossing. Speaking at a press conference after the Council of Ministers, Marlaska insisted there was no such intelligence report, directly contradicting his cabinet colleague. The government and PSOE have had limited success in playing down the dispute.
The friction is not new. When Marlaska took over Interior, he found that Robles had appointed Félix Azón, a trusted associate, as director general of the Guardia Civil, a position that required consensus between Defence and Interior. Marlaska later dismissed Azón without consulting Robles. She then boycotted the swearing-in of his successor, María Gámez, and later the appointment of Pablo Salas as deputy operational director. These gestures reflected the persistent lack of coordination between the ministries.
The ministers have also clashed over the scope of their departments during national emergencies. During the pandemic, Robles sought to expand military involvement in policing under Operation Balmis, but Marlaska refused. He was also frustrated by the uncoordinated deployment of the Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) during the Filomena snowstorm. Relations soured further when Marlaska abruptly dismissed a Guardia Civil officer serving as liaison to the Defence Staff for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine out of turn. The move also led to the resignation of General Miguel Ángel Villarroya, a close ally of Robles.
The balance shifted after an earlier mass entry of migrants into Ceuta in May 2021. The return of 55 unaccompanied minors to Morocco without proper legal procedures led to the disqualification of the government’s delegate in the city. In a subsequent interview, Robles subtly questioned Marlaska’s crisis management, adding to the public perception of discord.
Both ministers later learned that their mobile phones had been infected with Pegasus spyware, as had those of Sánchez and Agriculture Minister Luis Planas. The Audiencia Nacional investigated the incident, further straining trust within the cabinet.
The latest events in Ceuta have reignited the conflict. During a visit to the city, Robles broke with the official government line, emphatically defending Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla in response to Moroccan claims. Marlaska, by contrast, has consistently avoided statements that might antagonize Rabat and has repeatedly praised the “extraordinary” cooperation with Morocco. The government has largely backed Marlaska’s approach, leaving Robles increasingly isolated on the issue.
The internal rift reflects broader tensions in Spanish policy toward Morocco and the management of migration flows. A related report on Morocco’s renewed claims over Ceuta and Melilla outlined the stakes for Spain’s border security and diplomatic relations. The dispute also highlights the challenges facing the Sánchez government as it seeks to balance internal unity with external pressures.
Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish autonomous cities on the North African coast, frequently at the center of migration and diplomatic tensions with Morocco. Spain’s national intelligence agency, the CNI, monitors border threats, while the Guardia Civil and military units handle security on the ground. The current dispute highlights the challenge of coordinating Spain’s response to migration surges and the need for clear communication between ministries.
