PP and Junts leave the 309 million for Ceuta up in the air while the far-right Vox despises the aid as "handouts"

The PP and Junts have avoided clarifying this Wednesday whether they will allow the decree with 309 million euros for Ceuta to remain in force, while the far-right Vox has confirmed its vote against it and has dismissed the package as a distribution of "handouts". The final position of the first two parties will decide whether the aid survives its passage through Congress or if the Government must find another way to recover it.

The First Vice President and Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, has defended the validation before the Plenary to prevent economic uncertainty from adding to the difficulties already faced by the autonomous city. The decree was approved by the Council of Ministers on September 1 and its measures are in force, but the Constitution requires it to be submitted to Congress within a maximum of 30 days.

Its repeal would cause the instrument that supports a large part of the aid to lapse and would force the Executive to reconstruct them through another norm. The vote affects, among other measures, the 5,000 euros foreseen for each self-employed person, subsidies of between 10,000 and 150,000 euros for companies, exemptions from social security contributions, and reinforcements of public services.

Cuerpo has asked the groups to separate their criticisms of crisis management from the immediate support that Ceuta residents need. "We cannot allow economic uncertainty to be added to the uncertainty they are experiencing," he defended from the rostrum.

The aid pending Congress

The plan approved by the Government mobilizes an amount equivalent to 16% of Ceuta's gross domestic product during the last four months of 2026. The money is divided into four large blocks with 118 million for humanitarian reception and care for minors, 90 million for security, 80 million for companies and workers, and another 21 million for essential services.

Within the economic support, 36.6 million in direct aid destined for some 2,500 self-employed individuals and 1,500 companies are included. Applications began to be processed on September 14, and the Executive expected to make the first payments in early October. 14 million for trade and tourism are also contemplated through consumption vouchers and transport discounts.

Added to this is a line of guarantees from the Official Credit Institute of up to 50 million euros, outside the global amount of the decree, to facilitate financing for companies. The text also incorporates extraordinary benefits for cessation of activity, deferrals of payments to Social Security, and a 100% exemption from contributions for affected companies that resort to a temporary employment regulation file.

The package also reserves funds to incorporate 100 healthcare professionals, strengthen the security of educational centers, and expand the staff of judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and civil servants. The 90 million in the security section include extraordinary incentives for the National Police and the Civil Guard, in addition to resources for the Armed Forces.

Vox confirms its rejection and PP and Junts withhold their vote

PP deputy José Vicente Marí Bosó has accused the Government of using the decree to "spread propaganda" and has argued that "they cannot cover up their incompetence with money". He has also questioned the subsequent execution of the measures and has compared the plan with the aid approved for La Palma and the municipalities affected by the DANA.

The popular leader has demanded guarantees to restore normality and avoid another massive entry, although he ended his speech without announcing what the PP would do in the vote. Carlos Cuerpo has reproached him that political criticism could end up putting "spokes in the wheels" of measures requested by business associations and social agents in Ceuta.

Junts has maintained the same unknown. Its deputy Josep Maria Cruset has defined the decree as "the bill for a political failure" and has accused the Government of resorting to the Official State Gazette after not having prevented the crisis. He has also demanded that its migratory consequences not be transferred to Catalonia, but he left the tribune without revealing his party's vote.

The far-right Vox has announced that it will reject the package. The far-right deputy José María Figaredo has called the aid "crumbs" and has demanded that the Executive stop "handing out alms." His group maintains that the only valid response is to expel those who entered irregularly to Morocco and rejects allocating resources to humanitarian reception.

The Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, Félix Bolaños, had already questioned during the control session that Vox proclaims that "Ceuta is not for sale" while preparing to vote against any item destined for the city. "They do not support a single cent for Ceuta," he responded after his parliamentary spokesperson, Pepa Millán, accused the Government of intending to "buy the silence" of the people of Ceuta.

PSOE and Sumar will support the validation, as will EH Bildu, PNV, Podemos and Coalición Canaria, although these groups have demanded that aid arrive quickly and with greater attention to the working class. The outcome still depends on PP and Junts. Their vote will decide whether the package remains in force or whether companies, self-employed workers and public services in Ceuta remain pending a new regulation.