MADRID — Tens of thousands of protesters filled the Plaza de Colón on 26 September, waving red-and-yellow flags and chanting “¡Sánchez dimisión!” The rally, branded ‘Estado de Sitio’, was organised by Sociedad Civil Española with backing from the conservative Partido Popular (PP) and far-right Vox. Speakers accused the centre-left government of “criminal negligence” for allowing July’s mass entry into Ceuta and demanded that all remaining migrants be deported “before 15 October”. Vox leader Santiago Abascal called for the introduction of permanent land and sea controls between Ceuta and Morocco and the construction of offshore barriers similar to those used in Greece. Government delegates put turnout at 20,000; organisers claimed 180,000. Regardless of the exact figure, the march highlights the political salience of migration ahead of regional elections and may harden parliamentary negotiations over the draft Immigration and Border Security Bill due to be tabled in November. Corporate mobility teams should monitor legislative developments: early PP-Vox amendments seen by industry lobby FEEX include tighter sponsorship requirements for intra-company transferees and higher financial-means thresholds for non-EU assignees. If adopted, new rules could apply from Q2 2027. Public sentiment also increases the likelihood of snap border-control reinstatements on mainland ferry routes should another spike in arrivals occur, potentially disrupting travel plans between Algeciras and Ceuta/Tangier.
Source: Al Jazeera
