Behind the chaos on Spain’s African borders lies a deeper struggle over money, sovereignty, and who gets to decide Europe’s future
On the last days of July, over 50,000 illegal immigrants breached the defensive perimeters of Ceuta and Melilla and swarmed into the Spanish enclaves in North Africa. This occurred against the backdrop of the grandly adopted New Pact for Migration in Brussels, which officially entered into force on June 12. By August 2, at least 72 people had reportedly died during the crossings.
This latest migration crisis has already sparked debate about the adequacy of EU legislation and exposed the tensions of the partisan political struggle unfolding within the bloc. Shocked observers have been left wondering who will pay for this influx of migrants.
What happened?
The reasons for this unprecedented wave lie far beyond conventional humanitarian considerations and relate to the use of migration as a geopolitical weapon. The simultaneous collapse of Spain’s borders reveals a ruthless combination: On the one hand, King Mohammed VI of Morocco has reportedly once again used the ‘migration switch’ as a tool for direct financial blackmail against Madrid in disputes over subsidies. On the other, transnational smuggling syndicates took advantage of a recent Spanish Supreme Court decision to grant illegal residents amnesty, spreading rumors on social media about a supposed ‘opening of borders’.
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