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Spain's Left Denounces Handling of Ceuta Crisis, Demands Reassessment of Morocco Ties
🇸🇪 Sweden /Conflict & Security

Spain's Left Denounces Handling of Ceuta Crisis, Demands Reassessment of Morocco Ties

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Spain's radical left-wing parties are demanding a reassessment of relations with Morocco.
  • They criticize Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's friendly approach to Rabat and Morocco's use of migrants as a political tool.
  • The parties call for Spain to withdraw its ambassador and reconsider its 2022 stance on Western Sahara.

Spain's radical left-wing parties, crucial parliamentary allies to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, are demanding a significant shift in the country's relationship with Morocco. Parties such as IU, Sumar, and Podemos have strongly condemned Morocco's use of migrants as a political tool and criticized Sánchez for his seemingly amicable tone towards Rabat.

Morocco is not a reliable partner

— Antonio MaílloIU leader Antonio Maíllo criticizing Morocco's actions and Spain's relationship with the country.

IU leader Antonio Maíllo, representing the former Spanish Communist Party, insists that Madrid should recall its ambassador from Morocco. This protest is in response to the recent migrant influx into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Maíllo also calls for Spain to reverse its 2022 decision to support Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a move that effectively ends the independence aspirations of the indigenous Sahrawi people. Morocco occupies most of Western Sahara, while the Polisario Front, the Sahrawi liberation movement, controls a smaller portion.

Despite intelligence indicating Morocco's active role in directing civilians toward Ceuta, both Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska praised Morocco's goodwill during the recent crisis. Maíllo, however, stated, "Morocco is not a reliable partner" and interprets Spanish concessions as weakness. Sumar, the only radical left party within Sánchez's government, accused Morocco of "exploiting human lives for political blackmail." They are calling for Spain to halt joint preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the two countries are co-hosting with Portugal.

exploiting human lives for political blackmail

— SumarThe party Sumar's statement regarding Morocco's actions during the migrant crisis.

Podemos, a former coalition partner, has demanded the dismissal of Interior Minister Grande-Marlaska for refusing to declare a state of emergency. A party spokesperson controversially described King Mohammed VI of Morocco as "the dog he is." The article also notes an incident where Sánchez's office was reportedly angered by a press release issued before they could prepare their official statement, leading to the dismissal of the press officer.

as the dog he is

— Podemos spokespersonA Podemos spokesperson's harsh description of Morocco's King Mohammed VI.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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