Anger is mounting across Europe over Spain’s decision to legalise more than half a million illegal migrants by decree—a move critics warn will have consequences far beyond Spain’s borders.
Under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s plan, those granted legal status will ultimately gain free movement across the Schengen zone, prompting furious reactions from politicians and commentators in countries that are tightening their own migration policies.
This has prompted furious comments from across the continent—and elsewhere.
In Germany, journalist Wolfgang Osinski, media spokesman for the WerteUnion (Values Union) party, on Wednesday criticised Sánchez “and other enemies of our values” for “irresponsibly initiating irreversible developments.”
Sweden Democrats MP Josef Fransson described the mass granting of citizenship to those who have resided in Spain for just five months or more as “absolutely insane,” adding:
As EU citizens (after a certain period and meeting conditions), they can in principle move freely within the Schengen Area for work or residence. Thanks, Spain!
Belgian MEP Tom Vandendriessche (Vlaams Belang) said the EU as a whole was to blame for allowing the policy of one country to impact others so greatly in the first place, accusing the bloc of “holding our country and our population hostage.”
De socialistische regering van Spanje wil 500.000 illegalen regulariseren. Zo krijgen ze papieren waarmee ze zich in gans de EU kunnen vestigen. Bijvoorbeeld in het land met de gulste sociale zekerheid – België. De EU gijzelt ons land en onze bevolking. Deze EU kan gewoonweg niet…
Nile Gardiner, a former aide to Margaret Thatcher, said it showed how Europe is “destroying itself.”
Beyond the continent, conservative Malaysian commentator Ian Miles Cheong said Spain was “committing civilisation suicide,” and Elon Musk shared reports, simply writing: “Wow.”
Eva Poptcheva, former Spanish MEP and specialist in EU affairs, suggested that “this type of large-scale regularisation, with effects that go beyond the national sphere and impact the entire European Union, should be coordinated at the EU level.”
Because the right of residence in Spain implies freedom of movement throughout the rest of the territory.
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
