The European outrage at Spain over the crisis in Ceuta has subsided on the surface, but the incident has revived a broader question in Brussels: is Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez becoming what Danish MEP Henrik Dahl called Europe's "red Orbán" — a left-wing leader increasingly isolated from the EU mainstream?
Though the merit of the "red Orbán" label is debatable, the Ceuta crisis has become the clearest sign yet of the growing isolation of Spain and Sánchez within the European political landscape.
“Like Orban, he is seen as a spoiler,” said Dahl, a member of the European People’s Party, Europe's largest conservative party. "Sánchez is not on the same page as almost everybody else, and he’s seen as free-riding and really negligent on security issues."
Unlike Viktor Orbán, who used his time as prime minister of Hungary to obstruct EU programmes, such as sanctions packages, financial support for Ukraine and other measures, Sánchez hasn’t continuously vetoed European legislation.
Nonetheless, Dahl cited a number of policies exposing Spain's divergence from the 26 other European leaders, including Madrid's softer position on China, its rejection of new NATO defence spending targets, its "humane" approach to migration, and balancing support for Palestine with criticism of Israel.
