03.23 - Spain Today News 15 September 2026

🇪🇸 Ceuta Border Crisis & Unified Command ExtensionPrime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the special unified command in Ceuta will remain active until "the end of the year" to stabilise the autonomous city following the entry of over 70,000 migrants in late July. The Spanish government is preparing up to 10,000 migrant places, with over 6,000 operational by the end of the week, as around 200 people return daily to Morocco. Sánchez attributed the migration surge to fake news and human-trafficking networks while defending ongoing diplomatic relations with Morocco. However, Ceuta’s regional president, Juan Jesús Vivas, warned that the city remains an unstable "pressure cooker".CIS September Electoral BarometerThe latest CIS barometer reveals that the PSOE has dropped two points to 31% in voter intention following the Ceuta crisis, though it maintains a 5.5-point lead over the PP (25.5%, up 0.4 points). Vox gained 1.3 points to reach 16.6%, bringing a potential PP–Vox coalition to 42.1%. Meanwhile, 82.2% of citizens support strengthening border security in Ceuta and Melilla. Housing remains the primary concern for 37.5% of Spaniards, while concern over immigration fell to third place at 19.7%. Pedro Sánchez remains the preferred candidate for prime minister (25%) with the highest leader rating (4.18/10).Suspension of Voting Rights Under the "Grandchildren's Law"The Electoral Commission (JEC) voted 7–6 to comply with a Supreme Court ruling temporarily suspending voting rights for over 400,000 naturalised citizens under the Democratic Memory Law ("Grandchildren's Law"). The suspension affects descendants of individuals who left Spain between 1936 and 1955 whose exile status was automatically presumed rather than individually documented. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized the court decision—spurred by legal appeals from the PP and Vox—questioning whether essential voting rights should be stripped from 400,000 citizens.Catalonia’s €2.5 Billion Climate & Education PlanThe President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, unveiled the "Plan Actualiza Clima," allocating €2.5 billion through 2031 to climate-proof all public schools and elderly care homes across Catalonia. The initiative begins with €100 million invested across 100 priority schools, incorporating solar panels, thermal insulation, and aerothermal systems. Catalonia also announced the creation of an Observatory of AI and the Labour Market alongside an algorithmic systems registry to ensure human oversight of workplace artificial intelligence.