Relocation, relocation, relocation

The allocation of migrants throughout Spain will depend on a region's population, per capita income and unemployment rate

Mark Nayler

Friday, 21 March 2025, 10:32

The febrile relationship between Pedro Sánchez and Catalan separatists has finally resulted in something that is not only of benefit to either or both parties.

This week, with the support of Carles Puigdemont's pro-independence Junts, parliament approved an initiative to distribute around 4,000 unaccompanied migrant minors currently held in the Canary Islands throughout Spain's 17 autonomous regions. It's a practical, achievable plan which will alleviate an unsustainable burden on one small part of the country.

In what appears to be a policy-reversal, the PP voted against the proposal. The Conservatives' coordinator general (and a former president of Malaga province), Elías Bendodo, said that Sánchez's agreement with Junts is just another deal to keep the prime minister in power, and that it will only serve to "confront" regional governments.

Bendodo presumably means that the new redistribution plan will place an intolerable strain on local authorities, especially those in poor regions such as Extremadura and Andalucía. It's a valid concern: if the migrant allocations were calculated on a purely numerical basis, each of Spain's 17 regions would have to take in around 225.

Apparently, though, the new plan has been designed to take regional capacities into account. The allocation of migrants throughout Spain will depend on a region's population, per capita income and unemployment rate. In that case, one wonders why Catalonia, the wealthiest part of Spain, will only receive between 20 and 30 unaccompanied minors. It remains to be seen how many will be relocated to Andalucía.

The Socialist-led government made a similar proposal last July, albeit on a smaller scale. On that occasion, Sánchez's plan to redistribute about 400 unaccompanied minors from the Canaries to other parts of Spain was backed by the PP.

An outraged Vox promptly quit five regional coalitions with the Conservatives, claiming that its partner was facilitating an "invasion of illegal immigration". Unsurprisingly, Santiago Abascal's party opposed the latest migrant redistribution plan, without saying what it would do instead if it were in government.

The new relocation plan isn't perfect. It will only succeed if allocations are made on the basis of careful analysis of regional capacities. If not, the problem will simply be transferred from the Canaries to other parts of Spain. But for now, it's the best proposal there is, preferable to both mass deportation and leaving the Spanish archipelago to cope by itself (which clearly it can't).

Like Bendodo, I've little doubt that everything Sánchez does is designed to extend his stay in Moncloa. His amnesty deal for Catalan separatists - based on a shameless U-turn over independence - was all the proof one needed of that.

But the migrant relocation plan, even if selfishly motivated, is unlike the amnesty deal in one key respect: politicians are not the only beneficiaries.

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