The crisis in Ceuta has opened a direct political front against Pedro Sánchez even among his own voters. A survey by SocioMétrica for El Español places the percentage of Spaniards at 88.6% who believe that the president of the Government should appear immediately in Congress to explain what happened in the autonomous city.
The most relevant data is within the socialist electorate. 80.6% of those who voted for the PSOE believe that Sánchez should go to the Chamber to give explanations. 70% of Sumar and Podemos voters and more than 90% of PP and Vox voters also demand it.
The survey does not limit itself to requesting an appearance. 71% of respondents believe that Sánchez should undertake a government reshuffle to replace the ministers who, according to the survey's formulation, did not foresee what was going to happen. Additionally, 74% believe that the president should dissolve the Cortes and call for elections immediately.
The data that hits the Government: 80.6% of socialist voters demand explanations
The main political novelty of the survey is not that the opposition demands explanations. The key is that this demand fully enters the PSOE electorate.
According to SocioMétrica, eight out of ten socialist voters want Sánchez to appear in Congress due to the crisis in Ceuta. This is a particularly delicate piece of data because it breaks the usual logic of blocks: it is not just a demand from PP and Vox, but a transversal demand.
The pressure also reaches the left situated to the left of the PSOE. 70% of Sumar and Podemos voters share the need for an immediate appearance.
88.6% want Sánchez to go to Congress
Total support for the appearance reaches 88.6%.
This figure makes this question the strongest point of the survey. In a moment of high polarization, few issues achieve such a broad majority among different electorates.
The Government has announced appearances by several ministers for the last week of August: Fernando Grande-Marlaska, José Manuel Albares, Margarita Robles, and Félix Bolaños. However, the survey shows that public opinion points directly to the president.
The difference is not minor. A ministerial appearance shifts the explanation to a technical or departmental level. A Sánchez appearance would elevate the debate to the political and presidential level.
71% demand a government reshuffle
The second impact figure is 71%. That is the percentage of Spaniards who, according to SocioMétrica, believe that Sánchez should remodel the Government after the Ceuta crisis.
The request also has support within the progressive bloc. 44.8% of PSOE voters and 45.5% of Sumar and Podemos voters back that possibility.
Among right-wing voters, the demand is very majority: 87.5% of PP voters and 91.8% of Vox voters want changes in the Executive.
Only 23.3% of the total rejects opening a Government crisis now.
74% call for early elections
Moreover, 74% of Spaniards believe that Sánchez should dissolve the Cortes and call for early elections. The position is almost unanimous among PP and Vox voters, with support of 92% and 96%, respectively.
But a crack appears again in the socialist electorate: 48.4% of PSOE voters also support bringing forward the elections.
The rejection of that option is concentrated in Sumar and in nationalist and independentist parties. According to the survey, 75% of Sumar voters oppose going to the polls now, just like 70% of voters from nationalist and independentist formations.
Appearance, remodeling, and elections: three levels of pressure
The survey outlines three levels of political demand.
The first is the parliamentary appearance. There the consensus is overwhelming: 88.6% of the total and 80.6% among socialist voters.
The second is the remodeling of the Government. It also has a clear majority, although with more resistance within the progressive bloc.
The third is the electoral advance. It is the strongest measure and, even so, receives support from 74% of the total and almost half of the socialist electorate.
This chain of events turns the Ceuta crisis into a problem that goes beyond managing an emergency. The survey measures a demand for explanation, a request for accountability, and a discussion about the continuity of the legislature.
The Government tries to shift the response to the ministers
The Executive has opted to announce ministerial appearances at the end of August.
The formula allows for explanations without Sánchez directly interrupting his summer agenda or appearing immediately before Congress.
The Ceuta crisis reopens the debate on general elections
The survey arrives at a moment when the electoral calendar is once again at the center of political debate.
The Government maintains the will to exhaust the legislature, but the polls published during the last weeks have increased the pressure on Sánchez to call for early elections.
SocioMétrica had already placed at the end of June at 74.4% the percentage of citizens in favor of immediate elections. The new poll, focused on Ceuta, maintains that pressure at 74%.
The difference is that now the debate is not only supported by corruption, parliamentary weakness, or the lack of Budgets. A territorial, migratory, and security crisis is added.