Ceuta crisis: Nearly 90% of Spaniards blame Morocco

Nearly nine in 10 Spaniards hold Morocco significantly responsible for the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta during the last two days of July. A poll conducted by 40dB for EL PAÍS and Cadena SER puts the figure at 89%.

The survey also assigns substantial blame to several other actors. Seventy-five percent of respondents point to migrant mafias and irregular migration networks, 74% to false information spread on social media about entering Spain, and 73% to the people who decided to enter the country. Spain’s government follows at 72%.

The findings record a sharp rejection of the government’s handling of the crisis and growing support for a tougher immigration policy. Nearly 63% say Pedro Sánchez performed badly or very badly, including 49.9% who rate his performance “very badly” and 12.8% who rate it “badly.” Only 14.2% give him a positive or very positive assessment.

The poll was based on 2,000 online interviews conducted from Monday to Wednesday of the previous week, before a police report became public alleging that Moroccan police officers had cooperated in the mass-entry attempt. The survey notes that this later information could have increased the share blaming Morocco.

Vox appears to benefit from the shift in public opinion, with respondents viewing it as more capable of managing immigration. The conservative People’s Party and its leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, receive better assessments than Sánchez’s government, but negative views of both their roles in the crisis still clearly outnumber positive ones.