Political Turmoil Over Social Services in Ceuta As Censure Motion Fails
Ceuta's government faces intense criticism over social service policies as a proposed censure motion fails.
- • Ceuta Ya! proposed a motion to censure the government's social policies.
- • Discrepancies were highlighted between reported and actual beneficiaries of aid.
- • Opposition parties accused the government of classist policies and ineffectiveness.
- • The motion for censure did not pass due to opposition votes and abstentions.
Key details
In a heated debate in Ceuta's plenary session, the local party Ceuta Ya! proposed a motion to censure the government over its social services policy, a system maintained for over 25 years by the People's Party (PP) under the leadership of Juan Vivas. Julia Ferreras, a deputy from Ceuta Ya!, criticized the governance as a failure, highlighting that government claims of aiding 16,000 individuals through the newly inaugurated Banco de Alimentos starkly contrasted with the reality of just 1,400 beneficiaries. Ferreras labeled the government's approach as 'unjust, cruel, and unsolidary.'
The debate intensified with accusations from various opposition members, including PSOE spokesperson Sebastián Guerrero, who described the social policies as 'classist' and lacking effective integration programs. Nadia Mohamed of the MDYC echoed these sentiments, characterizing the last two and a half decades of governance as a 'disaster' and lamenting what she termed as 'charity policy.'
In defense of her department, current councilor Nabila Benzina argued that the Banco de Alimentos was intended as supplemental aid and introduced plans for a new Integral Digital Attention Center to assist beneficiaries in achieving financial independence. Despite the opposition's efforts, the censure motion did not pass, failing due to opposition votes from PP and non-affiliated members, along with abstentions from Vox. This controversy underlines the ongoing debate regarding the effectiveness of the current government's social services in addressing the needs of Ceuta's population.