Spanish king to visit disputed enclaves, testing Morocco ties after border crisis

King Felipe of Spain will visit the disputed North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in October, a move that could further strain relations with Morocco following a recent border crisis. This will be Felipe's first visit to the enclaves during his 12-year reign. The crisis began in late July when over 72,000 migrants surged into Ceuta from Morocco.

Morocco has historically opposed Spanish royal visits to the territories, claiming sovereignty over them. Spain considers Ceuta and Melilla integral parts of its territory, having been under Spanish control since the 17th and 15th centuries, respectively. King Felipe has mostly refrained from commenting publicly on the crisis, but during a state visit to Spain by French President Emmanuel Macron, he called the situation in Ceuta "unacceptable."

At an official dinner for Macron, Felipe urged European countries to show more solidarity with Spain. The planned visit by Felipe and Queen Letizia comes at a time of intense political debate in Spain, with opposition parties accusing Moroccan officials of complicity or inaction in the crisis. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has acknowledged that Moroccan border controls failed during the migrant rush, though Morocco denies this claim, blaming social media disinformation, human traffickers, and a misinterpreted Spanish court ruling.