By The European Times | Created at 2026-08-04 07:17:08 | Updated at 2026-08-04 11:05:19
3 hours ago
S&Ds send letter to Von der Leyen asking her to verify the legality of calls by certain governments to suspend Schengen following the Ceuta crisis
The Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament sent a letter to President von der Leyen, on August 1st, urging her to intervene immediately to clarify the rules governing the suspension of the Schengen area by member states following the events in Ceuta.
The S&D Group has expressed concern over the deliberate misrepresentation by certain governments of what happened in Ceuta yesterday and of the consequences that might follow, exploiting the situation for political ends. The S&D Group has made it clear that no member state can “expel” another member state from Schengen. The European Union is founded on respect for common rules, which must be applied in accordance with the rule of law, not for political expediency.
Defending Schengen means safeguarding the free movement of people, one of the greatest achievements of European integration.
The S&D Group has pointed out that, on this occasion, instead of responding with solidarity and support for Spain, the right and the far right have reacted by calling for the closure of borders. This represents a serious precedent, stemming from Italy’s decision, which opens the door to potential manipulation of European law to serve the political agendas and interests of individual governments.
Today, instead of cooperating with Spain, many governments have chosen confrontation over solidarity, calling into question not only Spain but also the very principle of shared European responsibility.
Ana Catarina Mendes, S&D Vice-President, said:
“Migration is a historical phenomenon that should not be demonised but managed through regular entry channels, integration, rights, responsibilities, and a relentless fight against traffickers and exploiters. Schengen cannot be defended by erecting new borders within Europe; rather, it must be defended through a unified immigration policy and solidarity among member states. Von der Leyen herself has publicly stated that ‘no one has reached mainland Spain or the rest of the European Union.’ If these are the facts, on what objective grounds was the reintroduction of internal border controls justified? We call on the Commission to clarify whether these legal conditions have in fact been met and, if not, to fully exercise its role as guardian of the Treaties.”
Sandro Ruotolo, Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, said:
“What has become of the Europe we once knew? Schengen is one of the European Union’s most important achievements. It cannot become a tool for exerting political pressure against another member state, nor can it be called into question on the basis of propaganda and fear. Musk’s videos, which portray people crossing the sea as ‘zombies’, confirm that the dehumanisation of language always precedes the dehumanisation of people. Politics must address challenges, not fuel fear and hatred.
“We have to promote a vision of Europe that is ambitious and does not yield to hatred, and respecting the Treaties is essential to reaffirming European values. What we are witnessing is simply propaganda: right-wing and far-right governments are manipulating free movement to fit their political agendas. President Von der Leyen must take responsibility for this. She cannot allow the clouding of facts to prevail or the principles of Schengen to be disregarded.”
