Live, Felipe VI delivers a speech in Ceuta after his first official visit as King

The Spanish Constitution of 1978 establishes the King as Head of State, symbol of its unity and permanence, and arbitrator and moderator of the regular functioning of institutions (art. 56 CE). His powers are largely representative and formal, exercised almost always on the proposal, endorsement, or initiative of the Government, the Cortes Generales, or other constitutional bodies, which underscores the parliamentary nature of the monarchy.

1. Head of State and international representation

At the general level, the Constitution assigns the King the following functions:

• Head of State: embodies the unity and continuity of the State, beyond changes in government or parliamentary majorities.
• External representation: officially represents Spain in international relations (art. 56.1), although the effective direction of foreign policy corresponds to the Government and Parliament.
• High patronage: holds the high patronage of the Royal Academies (art. 62.j), expressing his symbolic role in the cultural and scientific field.

2. Functions in the formation and operation of the Government

The King's involvement in the formation of the Government is one of his most visible powers, regulated in arts. 99 and 100 CE:

• Proposal of candidate for the Presidency of the Government: after each renewal of the Congress or in case of vacancy, the King proposes a candidate after holding consultations with representatives of political groups (art. 99.1).
• Appointment of the President of the Government: once the Congress grants confidence through investiture, the King formally appoints him (art. 99.3).
• Appointment and dismissal of ministers: appoints and removes other members of the Government on the proposal of its President (art. 100).

These are mandatory or regulated acts: the King does not freely choose the President or ministers but acts according to the investiture result and the proposals of the President of the Government.

3. Legislative and regulatory functions

In the legislative field, the King participates in the final phase of the procedure, giving formal validity to the norms approved by the Cortes:

• Sanctioning and promulgating laws (art. 62.a): once approved by the Cortes Generales, the King sanctions (signs) them and orders their immediate publication in the BOE. He does not have political veto power.
• Issuing decrees agreed in the Council of Ministers (art. 62.f): signs royal decrees, including royal decree-laws and royal legislative decrees, always on the initiative and responsibility of the Government.
• Calling and dissolving the Cortes Generales and calling elections (art. 62.b): does so on the proposal of the President of the Government, in constitutionally provided cases.
• Calling referendums (art. 62.c): also on the proposal of the President of the Government, under the terms established by law.

4. Functions related to the Armed Forces and other bodies

The King holds a symbolic role of command and presidency in various institutional areas:

• Supreme command of the Armed Forces (art. 62.h): he is the Supreme Chief, with a fundamentally representative and ceremonial content; the effective direction of defense policy corresponds to the Government.
• Appointment of relevant positions (art. 62.i): appoints, on the Government's proposal, the President of the Constitutional Court, members of some bodies, and grants honors and distinctions.
• Presidency of solemn acts: may preside, when deemed appropriate and at the Government's request, solemn sessions opening the Cortes or other acts of special relevance (art. 62.g).

5. Functions in succession, regency, and guardianship

The Constitution also regulates powers of the King linked to the Crown itself:

• Marriage proposal: requires authorization from the Cortes to marry (art. 57.4); although not exactly a “function,” it implies institutional control.
• Abdication and renunciation: must be regulated by a specific organic law (art. 57.5), in whose processing the King formally intervenes in the sanction.
• Regency and guardianship: in case of minority or incapacity of the King, the Constitution provides for regency and guardianship of the minor King (arts. 59 and 60); the monarch himself can propose some of these solutions, which are finally decided by Parliament.

6. Endorsement and responsibility

A key element of the system is that the King is inviolable and not subject to responsibility (art. 56.3). Therefore, his acts must always be endorsed by the President of the Government or, where appropriate, by the competent ministers or the President of the Congress. The endorser assumes the political and legal responsibility of the act.

In summary, the Constitution assigns the King a set of essential powers for the formal functioning of the State, but designed so that the effective power resides in the Cortes Generales and the Government, according to the parliamentary monarchy model.

In the last elections to the Assembly of Ceuta, held on May 28, 2023, the Popular Party (PP) was the most voted force and positioned itself at the center of the political balance of the autonomous city. According to the official data of those elections, the PP obtained 11,738 votes, which equals 34.37 % of the votes cast, and translated into 9 seats out of the 25 that make up the Assembly of Ceuta.

These results consolidated the PP as the leading force in Ceuta, but without reaching an absolute majority, which in the Assembly is set at 13 deputies. With its 9 seats, the party was obliged to rely on agreements with other formations to ensure governability and the approval of the main initiatives in the Plenary. This need for pacts has been a constant in the recent politics of the autonomous city, where the vote is distributed among several state and local forces.

The figure of 11,738 votes and the 34.37 % electoral support describe broad but not hegemonic backing. The PP was clearly ahead of the PSOE and the rest of the parties represented in the Assembly, but coexisted with a scenario of notable fragmentation, in which forces such as Vox and local formations like MDyC and Ceuta Ya! also obtained representation. This plural distribution of seats forced the PP to combine its dominant position with a certain culture of parliamentary negotiation.

The importance of that 2023 result is clearer when observing how it has been used as a reference in subsequent analyses of Ceuta's political situation. Demographic studies conducted in 2026 have taken precisely the 2023 figures —that 34.37 % of the vote and those 9 seats— as a starting point to measure the impact of recent events, such as the migration crisis experienced in the city and the reaction of the different parties to it.

In one of those surveys, prepared by Sigma Dos and released in 2026, it was expressly recalled that Juan Jesús Vivas's PP had won the 2023 regional elections with 11,738 votes and 9 deputies, and that result was compared with an updated estimate placing it well above 50 % of the vote and granting it between 13 and 14 seats. That comparison highlights that the May 2023 elections not only marked the political balance of the legislature but have become the “baseline” to interpret subsequent changes in Ceuta's public opinion.

From a strictly institutional point of view, the relevant data to answer your question are, therefore, three specific facts: the date of the elections —May 28, 2023—, the number of votes —11,738— and the percentage of support —34.37 %— which translated into those 9 seats in the Assembly. From there, the entire parliamentary dynamic of the city during the legislature has developed, with a Popular Party governing from the first position but in a framework where agreements with other forces are decisive to build majorities in each key vote.

In summary: in the last regional elections of Ceuta, the Popular Party obtained 11,738 votes, 34.37 % of the votes, and 9 seats out of 25, in the elections held on May 28, 2023. Those numbers explain both its current institutional leadership and the weight it is recognized in political analyses about the future of the autonomous city.

Modifying the Statute of Autonomy of Ceuta involves reforming a state organic law (Organic Law 1/1995, of the Statute of Autonomy of Ceuta). Therefore, the procedure is that of a legislative reform of an organic law, with some particularities linked to the role of the Assembly of Ceuta, but without a mandatory referendum, unlike what happens in some statutes of communities under article 151 CE.

1. Type of initiative and who can start it

The Statute of Ceuta can only be modified through a organic law reforming the Statute, processed by the Cortes Generales. The initiative can be taken by:

• Government bill: the Council of Ministers approves a preliminary draft and submits it to the Congress as a bill for organic law reforming the Statute.
• Bill proposal:
  • From one or several parliamentary groups or deputies of the Congress.
  • From the Senate, which sends a proposal to the Congress.
  • From the Assembly of Ceuta itself, which exercises its legislative initiative before the Cortes Generales: the Assembly approves by qualified majority (usually absolute majority of its members) a reform proposal and sends it to the Cortes to be processed as a bill for organic law.

In all cases, the reform text is processed in the Cortes; the Assembly of Ceuta cannot approve the reform by itself, only propose it.

2. Processing in the Congress of Deputies

The Congress acts as the chamber of origin and applies the ordinary legislative procedure, with the particularities of organic laws:

• Admission for processing by the Board of the Congress and publication.
• If applicable, debate on taking into consideration (for bill proposals), where the Plenary decides whether to process it or not.
• Possible totality debate (total amendments) and, once overcome, work in committee:
  • Presentation of amendments to the articles.
  • Discussion in subcommittee and committee, preparation of a report.
• Congress Plenary: final debate and vote on the entire text.

As it is an organic law, the final vote on the whole text in the Congress must be by absolute majority (art. 81 CE): at least half plus one of all deputies, not just those present.

3. Processing in the Senate

Once approved by the Congress, it is sent to the Senate, where the scheme is essentially reproduced:

• Admission and publication.
• Deadline for amendments, processing in committee, and report.
• Debate and vote in the Senate Plenary.

For organic laws, the Senate also approves them by simple majority of its members present, without requiring absolute majority. It can:

• Approve the text as is: in that case, the reform is definitively approved.
• Introduce amendments or veto the project:
  • If it introduces amendments, the text returns to the Congress, which can accept or reject them by simple majority.
  • If it issues a veto, the Congress can override it, either by immediate absolute majority or by simple majority after two months.

In any case, the Congress has the final word on the final text.

4. Role of the Assembly of Ceuta and absence of referendum

Unlike many “full” autonomous communities under art. 151 CE, the Statute of Ceuta:

• Does not require a statutory referendum to approve the reform: it is not foreseen that the modification be submitted to consultation by Ceuta's citizens as a necessary step.
• Provides, however, for the statutory initiative of its Assembly: it can agree, with reinforced majority (usually absolute majority of its members), a reform proposal and send it to the Cortes Generales for processing as an organic law.

In communities regulated by arts. 143 and 151 CE, statutes and their reforms usually require:

• Approval by the autonomous parliament by qualified majorities (for example, three-fifths).
• In the more “aggravated” models of art. 151 CE, autonomous referendum for the initial approval of the Statute and, in some cases, for reforms of special importance.

Ceuta, as an autonomous city regulated by organic law under art. 144 CE, is in a regime closer to the reform of a state organic law with reinforced participation of its Assembly, but without that general referendum requirement.

5. Final phase: sanction, promulgation, and entry into force

Once the double reading Congress–Senate is completed:

• The text is sent to the King for sanction and promulgation within a maximum period of 15 days.
• It is published as organic law reforming the Statute of Autonomy of Ceuta in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
• It will enter into force on the date set by its final provision; if none is set, 20 days after its publication.

From that moment, the new wording of the Statute of Autonomy of Ceuta becomes binding law and binds both the State powers and the institutions of the autonomous city.