Before this week, the tiny Spanish region of Ceuta, spread over less than 15 sq km in North Africa, was generally not known to draw global attention. But as migration-related tensions with bordering Morocco came to the fore, with close to 70 people dead while attempting to reach Ceuta in recent days, several European leaders have waded into the matter.Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted on X that visuals of Ceuta showed “uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders”. Italy has briefly suspended the Schengen pact for free travel with Spain for a month, though the countries do not share a land border. And, as of Sunday (August 2), a majority of the migrants who entered Ceuta had been sent back. People walk on a beach as they attempt to cross from the Moroccan northern town of Fnideq to Ceuta, July 31. (AP Photo)French Opposition leader Marine Le Pen also wrote, “Faced with the massive and coordinated influx of migrants into Spain, encouraged by the Spanish government, France must without delay strengthen controls at its borders. And in 2027 (when France will hold presidential elections), we will put an end to this madness by reserving Schengen free movement for EU nationals.”Additionally, 22 EU leaders wrote a letter addressing the bloc’s security, expressing “serious concern” and requesting a meeting of interior ministers. US President Donald Trump, too, called the situation a “catastrophe”.Ceuta has been under Spanish control since the 16th century. It has a population of around 85,000 people, including Spaniards and Moroccans.The past week saw at least 50,000 people attempt to cross into the autonomously governed city, including via sea. It is speculated that one factor driving this surge was a recent Supreme Court ruling in Spain that barred the forced return of migrants who reached the country by sea. But this did not mean that they would automatically be granted the right to live in Spain, or that they could not be deported later.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said, “What has emerged from our talks with Moroccan authorities is that trafficking mafias took a self-serving interpretation of a Supreme Court ruling.” Several other factors have been cited, including social media posts that promoted migration to Spain.Story continues below this adThe Spanish government has now installed a 500-metre barrier at the border between Ceuta and Morocco to curb such attempts. By the weekend, several thousand migrants made the return journey after encountering hostile conditions in Ceuta.And where does this fit into European politics?Immigration has been a hot-button issue in European politics, particularly over the last decade.Southern European countries such as Greece and Italy saw thousands of migrants and refugees from North Africa and West Asia attempt to reach their shores around 2015, driven by the Arab Spring movement, as well as instability in countries such as Afghanistan. The International Organisation for Migration estimated over a million arrivals in Europe by sea that year, almost four times the figure for 2014. Yearly irregular arrivals (2015-2026). (consilium.europa.eu)This happened as many European countries were witnessing an economic slowdown brought on by the 2008 financial crisis. Subsequently, many nations saw the rise of right-wing political parties that argued for stricter immigration control.Story continues below this adExplained | Behind Spain PM Pedro Sanchez’s global defiance of TrumpMany of the leaders now commenting on the events in Ceuta have a clear imperative in looming elections. Italy will go to the polls in 2027, while the US will have its mid-term elections in about three months.Notably, even European leaders from more liberal political ideologies have brought attention to the issue. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, leader of the Social Democrats, has echoed calls to reconsider the Schengen Agreement. Established in 1985 among five nations (France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), it now covers 29 nations and allows Schengen visa holders to travel to any of those countries and transit through them.The broader rightward shift among leaders on immigration, across political ideology, has been seen in Europe since 2015. In election after election, support for parties like the far-right AfD in Germany has risen, bringing them closer to achieving power. With Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party in power, the current dispensation has been described as the most right-wing government in Italy since World War 2.The trend is also visible in political representation for the bloc, which matters because the EU sets migration policy as a whole. For instance, the 2024 European Parliament elections saw far-right parties secure 27% of the vote share. In general, the right and far-right grew at the expense of parties like the Greens and Socialists. The rising representation has meant greater support for policies regulating immigration.Story continues below this adHowever, Spain has been an outlier of sorts. The current government has instituted a migration policy that seeks to grant legal status to undocumented immigrants already living and working in the country.The policy has been driven by concerns such as an aging demographic, but also political calculations. Sanchez is currently leading a minority government and needs to appease several factions to garner support for his policies. He has thus chosen to project power internationally, often criticising the United States and Israel. It comes at a time when a vacuum exists in terms of an outward-looking leader in Europe, especially one who espouses progressive viewpoints for others to rally behind.