No interlocution between Moncloa and the PP: the opposition demands Sánchez's urgent appearance due to the migratory crisis, but the Government does not contemplate it

“The Popular Party always complies with the law, on this occasion, too”. This is the most categorical statement made by the popular party in the midst of a political crisis due to the massive entry of up to 70,000 people in Ceuta last week. It was signed by the Deputy Secretary of Regional and Local Policy of the PP, Elías Bendodo.

While the Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Childhood, has reported in recent hours that more than one hundred minors are being attended to and have spent their first night in a school in the autonomous city, the political crisis remains open.

The popular party has been modulating its position. Depending on the territory asked in recent hours about the reception of minors —they govern in 12 of the 17 autonomous communities— they were more or less favorable to complying with the Immigration Law, which in its article 35, related to unaccompanied foreign minors, contemplates the situation of “extraordinary migratory contingency” when the reception systems of a territory exceed three times its ordinary capacity. This is the case of Ceuta.

The general secretary of the PP himself, Miguel Tellado, stated this week that “an avalanche of almost 80,000 people has entered the autonomous city and the Government is responsible for them leaving through where they entered.” These statements did not refer to the situation of minors, who are protected by current legislation and whose distribution the party now assures it will comply with.

"Zero interlocution" with the Government

This is how the national leadership of the PP defines its relationship with the Government. A situation that, in reality, is nothing new. Episodes of confrontation have been constant throughout the legislature and, today, a rapprochement between both parties seems ruled out.

The lack of understanding is also not new in the coordination bodies between administrations. During 2025 and also in 2026, several calls for the Sectoral Conference on Immigration could not be held due to lack of quorum after several autonomous communities governed by the PP did not attend the meeting convened by the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations, Elma Saiz. The Executive then denounced an institutional boycott that, in its opinion, prevented coordinating the response between administrations.

Without open channels of dialogue, the popular party insists that they will continue "fighting the battle" because they consider Pedro Sánchez responsible for this latest migratory crisis, according to sources from the party's leadership.

"We will do what is in our power to ensure that the Government provides all explanations," they add. In parallel, the PP spokesperson in the European Parliament, Dolors Montserrat, has brought this issue to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, chaired by the popular MEP Javier Zarzalejos, to address the debate on the management of the European Union's external borders.

Meanwhile, the Popular Group in Congress has registered a request for an urgent convocation of the Permanent Deputation for the ministers of Interior, Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Presidency to appear. Additionally, it demands the appearance of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, whom it accuses of "disregarding the crisis while enjoying his holidays," an attitude it describes as "insulting" to the citizenry.

Moncloa does not contemplate Sánchez's appearance

For the moment, the Government does not foresee Pedro Sánchez appearing extraordinarily, as the PP demands. Ordinary parliamentary activity will not resume until September and "that remains the roadmap," sources from La Moncloa indicate.

The Congress Bureau has not yet set the date, although a meeting of the Permanent Deputation, the body that replaces the Plenary during non-working periods, is scheduled for the end of August.

Meanwhile, the Executive insists that the situation in Ceuta is evolving with "normality" and assures that it continues to work to assist minors protected by law.

In this context, the First Vice President and Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo, made an appeal in recent hours to avoid a judicial conflict with the autonomous communities governed by the PP in the face of a possible refusal to host minors from Ceuta. A position he attributed to the popular governments' fear of jeopardizing their agreements with Vox.

With political dialogue completely broken and no signs of resuming in the short term, the management of the migratory crisis now moves to the parliamentary and institutional arena, where the Government and opposition maintain completely opposing strategies and no negotiation spaces.