‘Europe’s borders cannot be violated’ - Bardella and Abascal challenge Spain over Ceuta migration
Key Takeaways
- Bardella and Abascal met in Ceuta to demand tougher action against irregular migration.
- Abascal skipped Spain's National Day parade and accused the government of failing to defend its borders.
- Bardella also called for stricter school discipline after a shooting injured two school staff members in France.
The French and Spanish right-wing leaders accused Pedro Sanchez's government of failing to secure Ceuta's borders as they called for tougher measures against irregular migration.
French National Rally leader Jordan Bardella and Spain's Vox leader Santiago Abascal have criticised the Spanish government's handling of irregular migration, accusing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of failing to protect the country's borders.
The two politicians met in Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave, on Monday, October 12, using Spain's National Day to demand stronger border security.
Abascal chose to visit Ceuta rather than attend the official military parade in Madrid, arguing that the country's territorial security should take priority.
"It is true that this is a day when Spaniards like to celebrate the National Day alongside our armed forces, watching the parades of the people we admire so much. But this is not the time to celebrate it from a reviewing stand full of traitors," Abascal said.
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The Vox leader described irregular migration into Ceuta as an invasion and part of what he called a "hybrid war".
"On a day like today, I could only be in Ceuta," he stressed. "We cannot calmly celebrate the National Day in a context where part of our national territory is being invaded by a huge number of people who entered illegally."
Bardella supported Abascal's criticism, accusing the Spanish government of having "failed to protect its own citizens".
"It sent the message that Europe's borders could be violated with impunity," he said. "The whole world saw the images from Ceuta. All around us, immigration is being used as a means of pressure to destabilise European societies."
The French politician also referred to previous migration disputes involving Greece and Turkey, as well as Poland and Belarus, arguing that migration was being used to pressure European countries.
Beyond migration, Bardella addressed a school shooting in the southern French town of Aubagne, where a headmaster and a teacher were injured on Monday.
Authorities arrested a 14-year-old pupil accused of opening fire with a hunting rifle. Both victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while no pupils were hurt.
Bardella called for stricter school discipline and changes to juvenile justice, arguing that teachers should not have to fear violence at work.
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He also proposed removing disruptive pupils from schools under a government led by him.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
