Thus have been the demonstrations in support of Ceuta: thousands of people support the autonomous city throughout Spain and charge against the Government

Currently, there is no single law formally called “exceptional legal solution” for migrants in Ceuta. What exists is a package of extraordinary legal measures already in force or in process that serve as a framework to manage the crisis, especially regarding minors.

1. The legal axis for migrant minors

The central instrument is Royal Decree‑Law 2/2025, of March 18, which approves urgent measures to guarantee the best interests of children and adolescents in situations of extraordinary migratory contingencies.

• This decree‑law was issued precisely for situations like those in Canary Islands and Ceuta, where a very high number of unaccompanied foreign minors are concentrated. Its preamble explicitly cites the 221.4% increase of these minors and the agreements of the Sectoral Conference that had already allowed the transfer of 574 minors from the Canary Islands and Ceuta between 2022 and 2024.
• The decree‑law was ratified by the Congress and its processing as a bill (file 121/000055) was decided. To date, this bill is in process and the deadline for amendments has been extended until September 9, 2026, so there is no final law yet. (Congress record)
• In parallel, the Government has approved an urgent processing agreement for a royal decree of development of RDL 2/2025, to specify the procedures for transfer and guardianship of migrant minors.
• Additionally, on June 29, 2026, the Council of Ministers approved a Royal Decree on the ordinary capacity of the protection and guardianship system for unaccompanied foreign minors of the autonomous communities and cities, a key piece to be able to distribute minors from Ceuta to other territories.

On this legal framework, concrete measures are being articulated such as the plan of the Ministry of Youth and Childhood for the urgent transfer to the peninsula of about 500 unaccompanied migrant girls who remain in Ceuta, with reception formulas in specialized resources and, eventually, through the state relocation mechanism regulated from 2025.

2. Declaration of “situation of interest for national security” in Ceuta

In the field of security and overall crisis management, the Government has activated another exceptional piece:

• Royal Decree 681/2026, of August 25, declares the situation of interest for national security in the city of Ceuta, due to the effects of the massive entry on July 30 and the indefinite temporary stay of a very high number of irregular migrants, which overwhelm the ordinary capacity of the city. (Official State Gazette)
• Royal Decree 706/2026, of September 1, modifies that first decree to adjust the declaration. A royal decree on the Declaration of Resources to be used in that situation of interest for national security has also been approved.
• Under this umbrella, a “single command” coordinated by the Minister of Territorial Policy has been created, with participation from the City of Ceuta, the Government Delegation, the CNI, and up to eleven ministries, to prioritize the return and repatriation of migrants and organize reception resources.

3. Royal Decree‑Law 22/2026 and economic and social support to Ceuta

Royal Decree‑Law 22/2026, of September 1, approved on September 1 and published on September 2, 2026, establishes urgent social and economic support measures for the city of Ceuta. (text in the Official State Gazette)

• Among them, an extraordinary credit of 62.96 million euros to the Ministry of Youth and Childhood “for the care of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents in the city of Ceuta.”
• This decree‑law adds to previous agreements that had already authorized an extraordinary credit of 25 million euros for Ceuta and emergency increases in migration up to 44.5 million for humanitarian care.

4. So, what is the status of the “exceptional legal solution”?

In practice, the “exceptional legal solution” for Ceuta is being built on the combination of:

• Already effective rules: RDL 2/2025 (in force but still in process as a law), the declaration of interest for national security via RD 681/2026 and 706/2026, and RDL 22/2026 of support to Ceuta itself.
• Ongoing regulatory developments (royal decree of development of RDL 2/2025 and royal decree on the capacity of the minors system).
• Operational plans for transfers of minors, enabling temporary reception spaces (up to 1,500 places), and strengthening humanitarian care.

Therefore, there is no specific extraordinary regularization for all migrants in Ceuta, but an exceptional framework focused on:

• Guaranteeing the best interests of the minor and facilitating their supervised redistribution.
• Repatriating and returning adults and minors when legally possible, respecting international regulations.
• Providing Ceuta with extraordinary resources for security, reception, and social and economic investment.

The core pending parliamentary processing is the bill 121/000055, which, if approved, will consolidate and detail in a stable way many of these exceptional measures for minors in situations like Ceuta.

The President of the Autonomous City of Ceuta is the central figure of the institutional system designed by Organic Law 1/1995, of March 13, of the Statute of Autonomy of Ceuta. The Statute assigns him functions of representation, presidency of government bodies, political leadership, and channeling of political responsibility before the Assembly, as well as specifying his method of election and dismissal.

1. Bodies he presides over and institutional representation

The Statute establishes that “The President of the city of Ceuta presides over the Assembly, the Government Council, whose activity he directs and coordinates, and holds the supreme representation of the City” (statutory provision located in the institutional block following the competencies of the Assembly).

• Presidency of the Assembly of Ceuta: the President leads the Assembly’s Board, presides over it, and exercises the ordinary functions of directing sessions, ordering debate, and convening meetings. The Statute itself indicates that the Assembly will be governed by a Board “composed of the President of the City, who will preside over it” and that sessions are held upon convocation by its President.
• Presidency of the Government Council: he presides over the collegiate body that holds the executive and administrative functions of the City, directs its activity, and coordinates the actions of the Councilors.
• Supreme representation of the City: he institutionally embodies the City of Ceuta before the State, other public Administrations, and third parties, concentrating the external representation of the institution.

2. Relationship with the Government Council: appointment, dismissal, and delegation

The same provision indicates that “The President appoints and dismisses the Councilors and may temporarily delegate his own executive functions to some members of the Council”.

• Free appointment and dismissal of Councilors: the President designates and may dismiss members of the Government Council, only having to “report to the Assembly” the appointment and dismissal (as stated in the paragraph regulating the composition of the Council).
• Delegation of executive functions: he may temporarily assign part of his executive powers to certain Councilors, strengthening his internal organizational capacity of the Executive.
• Condition of Mayor: the Statute emphasizes that the President “also holds the status of Mayor,” which integrates in a single figure the leadership of the autonomous-city government and the municipal administration.

3. Election, confidence, and political responsibility

The Statute regulates in detail the confidence link between the President and the Assembly of Ceuta:

• Election by the Assembly: the President is elected “by the Assembly of Ceuta from among its members and appointed by the King.” The election must be made among those who lead one of the lists that have obtained seats, and an absolute majority is required; if no candidate achieves it, the one who leads the most voted list is designated. This entire regime appears in the provision to which the Statute later refers when speaking of substitution after a motion of censure (express reference to article 15 of the Statute).
• Vote of confidence: it is provided that “The President, after deliberation of the Government Council, may submit to the Assembly of Ceuta a vote of confidence on his program or on a declaration of general policy.” Confidence is understood to be granted if supported by a simple majority of the Assembly members. If rejected, the President must resign and a new election is held according to article 15.
• Motion of censure: the Assembly may demand the President’s responsibility through a motion of censure approved by an absolute majority, which “must include a candidate for the Presidency of the city” and is processed according to article 197 of the Organic Law of the General Electoral Regime. If approved, the candidate included in the motion is understood to be invested and is appointed President of the City. The Statute adds that the President cannot submit a vote of confidence while a motion of censure is pending.
• Causes for dismissal of the Government Council: it is foreseen that the Council ceases, among other cases, due to “the resignation, incapacity, or death of its President, the approval by the Assembly of a motion of censure, or the denial by the same of the requested confidence.” The outgoing Council continues in office until the new one takes office.

4. Role in the functioning of the Assembly

Additionally, several provisions assign the President key functions in the ordinary functioning of the Assembly:

• Convocation of the constitutive session: after elections, “the elected Assembly will be convened by the outgoing President of the City, within twenty days following the election date.”
• Convocation of ordinary and extraordinary sessions: the Statute indicates that the Assembly will meet “upon convocation by its President,” both for ordinary sessions (at least one per month) and extraordinary ones, either by decision of the President himself or at the request of a certain number of members.

Overall, the Statute of Autonomy of Ceuta configures the President as head of the Executive, highest municipal authority, president of the representative body, and reference figure in political responsibility before the Assembly, thus concentrating the main competencies of leadership, representation, government organization, and parliamentary articulation of the Autonomous City.

For a Spanish municipality to “officially join” FEMP calls (for example, campaigns, city networks, institutional declarations, co-financed projects or programs), there is no single specific law about the FEMP. What is required is that the municipal agreement formalizing the adhesion complies with the general local regime and administrative procedure rules.

In summary, the key legal requirements are:

• Appropriate municipal competence
• Competent body and correct procedure
• Compliance with financial and budgetary regulations
• Documentary formalization and, if applicable, publication
• Respect for the general principles of local action

1. Municipal competence

The adhesion agreement must fit within the municipality’s competences, according to the Law on the Bases of Local Regime (LRBRL):

• Preferably within own competences of art. 25 LRBRL (local public services, urban environment, citizen participation, equality, youth, etc.).
• If the action is linked to an “improper” competence, it must respect art. 7.4 LRBRL: it cannot jeopardize the municipality’s financial sustainability, must not duplicate services of another Administration, and in practice requires reports from the Secretariat and Intervention endorsing it.
• The principle of local autonomy and absence of profit motive must be respected; the municipality cannot assume obligations outside its public purposes.

2. Competent body and procedure

The approval method is determined by the LRBRL and the Regulation of Organization, Functioning, and Legal Regime of Local Entities (ROF):

• When the adhesion has a political or institutional content (declarations, strategic commitments, membership in networks), it is usual to have a Plenary agreement.
• If it is merely the management of a program or project already authorized by the Plenary, a Local Government Board agreement or Mayor’s resolution may suffice, depending on internal competence distribution.
• The agreement must be adopted with the required quorum and majority (usually simple majority, unless the adhesion involves very significant financial commitments or budget or ordinance modifications).
• Common administrative procedure legislation applies: processing of the file, incorporation of mandatory reports, proposal of resolution, and final motivated agreement.

3. Legal-technical and Intervention reports

Before approving adhesion to a FEMP call, it is usual and advisable to have:

• Secretariat report, analyzing:
  • That the municipality is competent to assume the commitments.
  • That the proposed instrument (adhesion, agreement, protocol, declaration) is legally correct.
  • That no higher norms are violated (state or regional regulations, statute of autonomy, etc.).
• Intervention report, assessing:
  • The existence of adequate and sufficient credit, if there are associated expenses.
  • The impact on budgetary stability, spending rule, and debt.
  • The need for budget modifications, if applicable.

4. Formalization and publication

Depending on the nature of the FEMP call, these situations usually occur:

• If it is an institutional declaration or generic adhesion, the plenary or board agreement suffices, which is:
  • Recorded in the Minutes Book.
  • Published on the notice board or electronic headquarters, and in some cases also in the Official Provincial Gazette if provided by regulations or municipal rules.
• If it involves a collaboration agreement or contract with the FEMP:
  • The text of the agreement must be drafted and signed by authorized representatives.
  • The general rules of public sector agreements apply (term of validity, monitoring mechanisms, possible registration in agreement registries, and official publication when applicable).

5. Other limits and good practices

• Respect institutional neutrality: campaigns must not exceed the public and statutory purpose of the FEMP nor become partisan propaganda.
• Guarantee equality and non-discrimination in the execution of actions derived from the call (for example, in aid or services provided to residents).
• Check compatibility with other networks or commitments already assumed by the municipality to avoid duplications or contradictions.

In summary, a municipality can join FEMP calls as long as the adhesion falls within its competence, is approved by the appropriate body following the ordinary local procedure, respects financial rules, and the commitments are properly formalized.