The mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta has sharpened European disputes over Pedro Sánchez’s policies, but an official EU statement has undercut claims that Spain is becoming isolated within the bloc.

Leaders from 22 of the European Union’s 27 member states called emergency talks and criticised policies they said could encourage irregular migration. Ministers subsequently expressed unanimous solidarity with Spain and praised its handling of the crisis.

“The EU is united and stands ready to support Spain,” Ireland’s justice, home affairs and migration minister, Jim O’Callaghan, said after chairing an emergency video conference on 4 August.

The Council of the EU said member states and countries associated with the Schengen area had commended the “swift and effective” response by Spanish authorities. It added that most of those who entered Ceuta had returned to Morocco and none had travelled onwards to mainland Spain or another member state.

That statement followed several days of unusually public criticism of Madrid.

In a joint letter, leaders from 22 EU countries expressed “serious concern” about the crossings and urged stronger external borders, more effective returns and action against policies they regarded as possible “pull factors”.

They singled out Spain’s programme to regularise the status of large numbers of migrants already living in the country. Madrid says the programme is intended to bring established residents into the formal employment and welfare systems, and rejects claims that it caused the Ceuta crossings.

Approximately 72,000 people entered the Spanish territory from Morocco over one week, according to the latest figures reported by Reuters. About 75 people died during the crossings, including people who drowned or were crushed.

Most later returned to Morocco, but roughly 1,100 unaccompanied children remain in Ceuta. Reception centres are full, leaving some children in warehouses, makeshift shelters or on the streets.

Sánchez described the border rush as a violation of Spanish sovereignty. In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he said Spanish forces had restored control within 48 hours and accused some European governments of responding with prejudice and political opportunism.

The dispute prompted Danish conservative MEP Henrik Dahl to compare Sánchez with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, describing the Spanish leader as a “red Orbán”.

“Like Orbán, he is seen as a spoiler,” Dahl told Euronews, citing disagreements over migration, relations with China and NATO spending.

The comparison is political rather than factual and has clear limits. Orbán’s government has repeatedly blocked or delayed EU decisions, including measures concerning Ukraine, while Sánchez has not pursued a comparable pattern of vetoes.

Spain also remains represented at the highest levels of the European institutions. António Costa, a Portuguese socialist, leads the European Council, while former Spanish minister Teresa Ribera is an executive vice-president of the European Commission.

Javi López, a Spanish vice-president of the European Parliament, called the Orbán comparison “insane”. He argued that Spain remains an important counterweight to Europe’s shift towards the right and has sometimes adopted positions later supported by other member states.

Madrid’s approach has nevertheless produced friction beyond migration. Spain negotiated an exemption from NATO’s commitment for members to spend 5% of gross domestic product on defence and says expenditure of about 2% is sufficient to meet its assigned military capabilities.

Sánchez has also taken positions outside the European mainstream on trade with China and has been among the bloc’s strongest critics of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

EU ministers did not resolve those wider disputes during the emergency Ceuta meeting. They agreed to strengthen border monitoring, returns, intelligence-sharing and co-operation with countries outside the bloc before further talks in October.

Ceuta’s authorities are now seeking to transfer unaccompanied children to mainland Spain. The government has approved €25 million in emergency funding, but four regional administrations controlled jointly by the conservative People’s Party and the far-right Vox party have indicated that they will challenge compulsory transfers.