The Partido Popular (PP) will attend the meeting of the Comisión Sectorial de Infancia y Adolescencia, scheduled for Thursday 13 August 2026, on the situation of unaccompanied minors in Ceuta. PP deputy secretary-general Elías Bendodo announced this in Barcelona on Monday 10 August. “It is good to listen, even if we are completely opposed to the government’s proposals,” Bendodo said. The PP abides by the law and will continue to do so: “We are a party of state and a responsible party.” He also called on the central government to negotiate with Morocco so that the minors in Ceuta can return to their families.
Bendodo clearly distinguished the People’s Party from Vox. The PP had received “no proposal whatsoever” from Vox on this issue and was pursuing a different strategy: “Somos partidos distintos” – we are different parties. According to consistent media reports, Vox has announced that its vice-presidents in several PP-led regional governments will stay away from the meeting. Vox opposes the mechanism for distributing the minors proposed by the central government.
Despite Vox’s opposition, PP-led autonomous communities intend to take part in the first round with the minister responsible, Sira Rego (Youth and Children), or at least not to block it. The meeting aims to assess the situation of the minors in Ceuta and discuss possible measures between the state and the regions. It is part of the regular coordination between the ministry and the autonomous communities on childhood and youth issues.
In Barcelona, Bendodo also renewed his criticism of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. He said it was “outrageous” that the head of government was continuing his holiday while the situation in Ceuta persisted. At the same time, the PP politician avoided commenting in detail on Vox’s tactics, noting that each party followed its own line.
By agreeing to attend, the PP says it wants to show a willingness to talk without abandoning its reservations on the substance. Its distancing from Vox underlines the People’s Party’s effort to address the care and possible distribution of the minors through institutional discussions.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).