Twenty-two EU leaders have criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over migration policies, while Sánchez denounced the group's response as selfish and unlawful.

Twenty-two EU leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, have criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s migration policies. The group expressed concern that Spain’s regularization of up to 1.2 million unauthorized migrants acts as a pull factor for illegal entries. This follows a recent surge of approximately 50,000 migrants into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco, an event that has prompted calls from some leaders to temporarily exclude Spain from the Schengen Area.

Dispute Over Regularization Scheme

The 22 leaders sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. They argued that policies such as Madrid’s migrant regularization scheme threaten the security of the bloc’s borders. The signatories stated they are prepared to reinforce or reintroduce temporary border controls to prevent illegal entry into the European Union. Spain has rejected the claim that its regularization policy triggered the Ceuta crisis. A spokesperson for the Spanish foreign ministry stated that the scheme requires proof of residency in Spain before January 1, 2026, and five consecutive months of residency at the time of application. Furthermore, the application deadline for the program, which launched in April, passed in June.

Sánchez Responds to Criticism

Prime Minister Sánchez defended his government’s actions, characterizing the criticism from his EU counterparts as selfish, unlawful, and driven by prejudice or political interest. In a letter to EU leadership, he argued that calls to suspend Spain from the Schengen Area violate European law and humanitarian principles. He also noted that Spain recorded half as many illegal entries as Italy between 2021 and 2026. Italy and France have already implemented measures in response to the migration surge, with Italy imposing restrictions on movement from Spain and France increasing border checks. Ireland is set to convene a meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council on Tuesday to discuss the situation.