Spanish opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo has intensified his confrontation with the government over the situation in Ceuta, following advice from former Prime Minister José María Aznar to take a firm stance toward Morocco, according to EL PAÍS.
The conservative Popular Party (PP) leader has accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government of leaving Ceuta isolated and of preventing Spaniards from learning the full truth about recent events in the North African enclave, as reported by ABC and El Confidencial.
EL PAÍS reports that Aznar counseled Feijóo to be “contundente” — forceful or unequivocal — in his approach to Morocco, a recommendation that preceded the opposition leader’s decision to raise the political temperature over Ceuta.
Feijóo has brought the issue to Spain’s Congress, where he argued that the public has been misled about what occurred, according to El Mundo. He described the situation using the term “invasión” and said Sánchez has been “hostile with the invaded and docile with the invaders,” per El Confidencial.
The opposition leader also claimed that Sánchez is the president who “most benefits” Morocco when it comes to Ceuta, as reported by La Vanguardia. These statements mark a sharp escalation in the political dispute over the territory, which has long been a sensitive point in Spanish-Moroccan relations.
The timing of Feijóo’s remarks suggests a coordinated political strategy, with the PP seeking to pressure the government on national security and territorial integrity ahead of upcoming political battles.
What to watch next: Whether the Sánchez government responds formally in Congress to Feijóo’s allegations, and if the Ceuta dispute further strains already delicate Spanish-Moroccan diplomatic ties.
