Spanish Opposition Slams Government Poll on Ceuta and Melilla’s National Status

Two key questions were asked of respondents in the opinion poll conducted by the CIS, a body under the Ministry of the Presidency of the government. The first: "Are Ceuta and Melilla Spanish or Moroccan?" To this question, 75.4% of respondents answered that the two enclaves belong to Spain, while 15.1% said they were Moroccan cities. 8.1% of them preferred to abstain.

The second question: "Will they be part of Morocco by 2050?" For 53.6% of those surveyed, the two enclaves will remain Spanish by 2050. 20.3% of respondents answered in the affirmative. The other 25.9% did not answer the question.

This poll provoked the anger of PP deputies, ardent defenders of the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla or even Catalonia. Written questions signed by the party’s secretary general, Pablo Casado, were addressed to the government of Pedro Sanchez. These elected officials are asking him for "explanations" on this poll. According to them, this opinion poll touches on the "sovereignty" of Spain.

On Sunday, the president of the PP had, during a convention of his party, called for Ceuta and Melilla to be added to the "protection" of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).