Spanish Socialist Party Faces Backlash Over Moroccan-Origin Activist’s Senate Nomination
Just three months after more than 80,000 migrants entered Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco in a mass border crossing, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) has come under criticism for supporting a Moroccan-origin activist for a seat in the Spanish Senate.
On Tuesday, October 27, the PSOE announced that 26-year-old Abdelah Mustafa would replace its original candidate on a joint electoral ticket with the left-wing Frente Amplio for the November 29 election. Mustafa, a Spanish citizen of Moroccan descent, currently serves as the chairman of the Sidi Embarek neighbourhood association.
His nomination has sparked controversy over his alleged pro-Moroccan positions, public displays of Moroccan national symbols and his refusal to describe the July border incident in Ceuta as an invasion. Critics have questioned whether his political views align with Spain’s national interests, particularly given the sensitive relationship between Madrid and Rabat.
According to reports by El Español, Mustafa reportedly deleted several Facebook posts featuring Moroccan national symbols after his candidacy became public and deactivated his Instagram account. One photograph showed him standing beside a Moroccan flag with the caption, "Surrounded by fascists." Another featured a crossed-out French flag alongside a warning against mocking the Prophet Muhammad.
Mustafa had previously rejected the description of the mass entry into Ceuta as an invasion, arguing that the migrants "did not come with a violent attitude." His position has added to the criticism surrounding his selection, bringing renewed attention to the PSOE's decision to replace its original candidate with him.
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