PP's Feijóo Condemns Sánchez Government's Immigration Regularization at PPE Summit
The PP, led by Feijóo, strongly opposes Sánchez's immigration regularization, accusing the government of electoral manipulation and renewing xenophobic rhetoric, highlighted at the PPE summit.
- • PP accuses Sánchez government of political clientelism linked to migrant regularization.
- • Feijóo to present PP's opposition at the PPE summit in Zagreb amid European geopolitical talks.
- • Regularization could alter electoral census by adding over two million votes.
- • PP proposes migrant expulsions without judicial conviction, conflicting with Supreme Court rulings.
Key details
The Partido Popular (PP), led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has escalated its opposition to the Spanish government's recent immigration regularization policy announced under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Feijóo is set to articulate the party’s strong dissent against the mass regularization of immigrants during the upcoming Partido Popular Europeo (PPE) summit in Zagreb, Croatia, where broader European geopolitical issues will also be discussed.
The PP criticizes the Sánchez government's policy as an act of political clientelism that could significantly alter Spain's electoral landscape. The PP alleges that through the decree which may regularize over two million immigrants, plus additional effects from the so-called 'law of grandchildren,' the electoral census could shift in favor of the PSOE, Sánchez's party, thereby affecting medium-term elections.
This stance from the PP marks a move beyond procedural objections to direct accusations of manipulation of the electoral system by the ruling party. Moreover, the PP has framed this as a challenge not only for Spain but also within a broader European context at the PPE meeting, which will cover Europe’s role amid the current geopolitical volatility.
In parallel, the PP seeks to assume a more active role regarding the situation in Venezuela, positioning itself as a bridge between Europe and Venezuela following the Spanish government’s retreat from this diplomatic front.
Further fueling tensions, the Sánchez government's decision to proceed with migrant regularization came following an agreement with Podemos, while the right-wing opposition has revived a strong xenophobic discourse. Feijóo himself has proposed measures such as the expulsion of migrants without judicial convictions, a position that directly conflicts with rulings from Spain’s highest courts, the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court.
This debate unfolds amidst heightened political polarization, with the PP's challenge to Sánchez’s immigration policy reflecting deeper divisions about migration, electoral integrity, and Spain’s role in European and international affairs.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
