Thousands of people marched through Madrid on Saturday to protest what organizers described as the Spanish government’s failure to manage the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta in late July, with demonstrators calling for early general elections.
Marchers waved Spanish flags and chanted, “Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta must be defended,” during the rally in central Madrid.
The demonstration was organized by the right-wing Spanish Civil Society platform and backed by the conservative Popular Party and the far-right Vox party.
The Spanish government estimated the crowd at about 20,000 people, while organizers claimed 180,000 participants.
The organizers called for early elections by Nov. 15, the return of migrants who entered Ceuta and legal action against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whom they accused of “treason.”
The protest comes nearly two months after an unprecedented influx into Ceuta. Spanish authorities now estimate that between 70,000 and 80,000 people entered the Spanish enclave on July 30 and 31. More than 10,000 people were still in Ceuta as of Sept. 20, according to Spanish media reports, with thousands housed in official facilities and others in informal settlements.
Miguel Tellado, a spokesman for the Popular Party, said at the rally that there had been “clear neglect” by the government and that most Spaniards wanted elections to be held immediately.
Spain’s next general election is currently scheduled for August 2027.
The government is expected to approve a decree at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting aimed at speeding up the return of migrants from Ceuta, according to El País.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal criticized the government at the demonstration, saying it had been unable to resolve the situation.
The mass arrival in July created a major political and humanitarian challenge for Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast. Spanish authorities have said the influx was unprecedented, while the government has faced sustained criticism from the opposition over its handling of the crisis.
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