France rejects suspending Spain from Schengen despite Ceuta migrant crisis

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated on Saturday that France will not seek Spain's suspension from the Schengen free-movement agreement, despite an unprecedented migration surge into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta.

Speaking to reporters, Nuñez emphasized that removing Spain from the visa-free zone is completely off the table and reiterated the strong security cooperation between Paris and Madrid.

France maintains Schengen cooperation while strengthening border checks

The French government confirmed it has no intention of restricting free movement with its southern neighbor, distinguishing its approach from other European nations.

Reporting from The Local Europe highlighted Nuñez's assurances that bilateral ties remain robust despite the sudden arrival of an estimated 60,000 migrants over just a few days in Ceuta. Spanish authorities reported that by Saturday, almost all of the migrants who crossed from neighboring Morocco had left the enclave or were processed by local border officials.

While rejecting a full suspension of Schengen privileges, France has proactively implemented additional security measures along its frontier. Nuñez ordered increased police presence and reinforced controls at the southern border with Spain to monitor migration flows and prevent undocumented transit further into mainland Europe.

Diplomatic rift grows as Italy temporarily closes borders with Spain

The French minister's statements follow a sharp diplomatic rift within the European Union regarding the handling of the border emergency. According to the BBC, Italy temporarily suspended its Schengen arrangement with Spain for a month, closing sea and air travel checks between the two countries after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the situation in Ceuta as shocking.

The unilateral measure triggered a stern reaction from Madrid, where Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized what he described as selfish responses from certain European allies. Sánchez called for an urgent EU-wide meeting to establish a unified and collaborative response to the crisis rather than resorting to national border closures.

Spanish officials emphasized that under existing Schengen Area protocols, the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla operate with unique border safeguards. Entering Ceuta irregularly does not confer any legal right to travel to mainland Spain or move freely across the broader European Union, as strict controls remain enforced for anyone attempting to board air or sea transport to the European continent. Spain continues to manage enclave security in strict alignment with European standards.