Czech opposition leader Andrej Babiš has called for Spain's immediate suspension from the Schengen area, branding Madrid's migration policy "absolutely scandalous" after tens of thousands of migrants surged into Ceuta from Morocco. Tomio Okamura echoed the demand, while Petr Macinka warned the crisis poses severe complications for the entire Schengen zone, though he noted Ceuta and Melilla sit outside the passport-free area. The death toll from the crossing has climbed to at least 57, most of whom drowned attempting the swim.
The backlash follows Spain's decision to offer legal residency to migrants present before January 2026 with clean criminal records, a measure that drew nearly 1.2 million applications. Roughly two-thirds of applicants originate from Central and South America, with Colombia, Morocco and Venezuela accounting for half of all requests.