The French president, Emmanuel Macron, urged this Friday the other member states of the European Union to support Spain after it suffered an "informational attack" during the migration crisis in Ceuta, reiterating his support for the Spanish government in the face of criticism from several European partners regarding the management of the arrival of migrants.
"It was not Spain that said: 'Come here.' Spain suffered that attack. Therefore, we must show solidarity with Spain to help it resolve this problem," the French head of state emphasized at a press conference at the end of the European Council in Brussels, after being questioned about the objections raised to Madrid from countries like Denmark, Italy, or Poland.
Macron pointed out that he remembers "something very simple," which is that every time the EU has faced a similar situation, "regardless of which country was the first entry," the obligation of Europeans is to "show solidarity," even for "our own interest" and for "the principles we defend."
He added that it was not necessary to wait for this summit "to know who attacked Spain the day after what happened in Ceuta." "There is a public letter that was written (and signed by 22 countries). France's position has been clear: we did not sign that letter. Why? Because Spain was the subject of an attack. Call it a hybrid attack if you want, but what happened was an informational attack," he explained.
In this line, he indicated that "there were people, traffickers" and probably "also people who wanted to destabilize Spain," who made many people in extreme need believe "that there was an opportunity."
For the French leader, what happened was "a humanitarian tragedy," Ceuta was "the subject of an informational attack against Spain," and Madrid "later resolved the situation and is finishing resolving it," having managed to "considerably reduce the problem through close cooperation with Morocco," a country for which he expressed gratitude for its role in channeling the crisis.
Calls not to turn migration into a political weapon
On the other hand, Macron has called on EU leaders to avoid politicizing the discussion on migration, warning that the ideological differences among the Twenty-Seven could lead to fractures that prevent articulating a common response to episodes like the one experienced in Ceuta.
"When we politicize this debate around the table, we divide. And when we divide and return to national solutions, we are ineffective," warned the French president, who acknowledged the existence of ideological discrepancies among European governments, although he defended that they are "respectable" and part of the "democratic life" of the Union.
In this context, he reiterated that immigration must be addressed from the respect for facts, "humanism," and "pragmatism," recalling that during the Ceuta crisis there were fatalities and that solidarity among partners must also be activated when other states, like Italy, face strong migratory pressure.
"My position is simple: the facts, only the facts. Let us not transform what has happened," he emphasized, insisting that the European reaction to these challenges must be based on cooperation and not on internal political divisions.
He also highlighted the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, whose negotiations accelerated in 2022 under the French Presidency of the EU Council and which was later approved during the Spanish Presidency, as proof that member states are capable of reaching agreements on migration despite their differences.
"It was a good decision. This pact allows for results, and that is what we are seeing today," defended the leader, who also positively highlighted the EU's decisions on returns, although he admitted that there is still a long way to go in the fight against irregular immigration.
"We have made decisions on returns. A good decision.
Should we continue to advance? Yes. But we must do so with a pragmatic and united spirit. Never from division or ideology.
We do not need words on this matter. We need to continue acting effectively, respecting our principles and fighting effectively against irregular immigration," he concluded.