The Partido Popular The People’s Party (PP) accuses the government of Pedro Sánchez King Felipe VI. of not inviting him to the meeting of the Consejo de Seguridad Nacional (CSN), held on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Ceuta The PP headquarters in Génova said the monarch’s absence was a fresh affront to the head of state, adding that the party was pursuing “opposition all the way to the Crown”. According to the government, the Prime Minister chaired the meeting, which was intended to coordinate the response to the Ceuta crisis.
Legally, the King is not a regular member of the CSN. However, the relevant rules provide that if Felipe VI attends at the invitation of the Prime Minister, he chairs the meeting. The PP cites this provision, arguing that matters of national security also concern the Jefatura del Estado. The government counters that the CSN met in its prescribed composition to coordinate ministries and security agencies swiftly; there is no requirement to invite the King.
The dispute comes amid a week of intense political debate over the pace and scale of the government’s response to the latest border crossings in Ceuta. PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo criticised the CSN for being convened too late and also objected that Sánchez had appointed none of the deputy prime ministers to a specialist committee on the Ceuta crisis. Defence Minister Margarita Robles admitted political mistakes in the Congreso and apologised; at the same time, the government defended its chosen course in light of operational measures and the available information. The opposition is also divided over when a mando único should have been put in place.
The CSN’s institutional role is clearly defined: it supports the Prime Minister on national security matters and brings together contributions from the ministries, intelligence services and security forces involved. The monarch may attend, but is not required to do so. The PP views previous exceptions – for example, during major crises – as precedents; the government, by contrast, points to the instrument’s flexibility and the Prime Minister’s responsibility for setting the agenda.
Political consequences are already emerging. In the Diputación Permanente of parliament, opposition groups requested special sessions and additional questioning on decision-making, secrecy and the sharing of information during the Ceuta crisis. It remains unclear whether this will lead to changes in procedures or responsibilities; firm decisions are not expected until after the parliamentary sessions.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).