Morocco’s future approach to the Ceuta and Melilla issue has come back into focus as the two cities return to the forefront of political and diplomatic debate between Rabat and Madrid, following a series of statements by Moroccan officials stressing that the Kingdom will not give up what it considers part of its national territory, while Spain continues to reject any discussion over its sovereignty over the two cities, Assahifa’s poll shows.
The poll asks readers a direct question: “Is it time to bring the issue of Ceuta and Melilla before the UN Decolonization Committee?” Rather than addressing Morocco’s demands for the two cities themselves, the question seeks to gauge views on which diplomatic course Rabat should pursue next: internationalizing the issue directly, first building the necessary diplomatic and legal groundwork before taking it to the UN, or continuing to address it through bilateral dialogue with Spain.
Assahifa offered participants three options. The first was: “Yes, the international context is suitable for reopening the two cases.” The second was: “Yes, but only after building a broad diplomatic and legal alliance.” The third argued that “the best option is to continue addressing them through bilateral dialogue with Spain.”
At the time the results were recorded, 986 people had taken part in the poll. Of these, 410 voters, or 41%, said that “the international context is suitable for reopening the two cases,” while 325 voters, or 32%, said such a move should come only after “building a broad diplomatic and legal alliance.” Meanwhile, 251 participants, or 25%, said the issue should continue to be handled through bilateral dialogue with Madrid.
Looking at the actual number of votes, 735 of the 986 participants - around 74.5% - support taking the issue to the international level, either directly or after establishing the necessary diplomatic and legal groundwork. By contrast, around a quarter of participants prefer keeping the issue within the framework of bilateral dialogue with Spain.
The results come at a significant political moment, as the issue of the two cities has returned strongly to the spotlight in recent weeks. Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi previously said that Ceuta and Melilla represent a “historic and geographic right” for Morocco, while calling for a mechanism for dialogue with Spain over their future.
Moroccan Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq has also referred to the “liberation of occupied territories” in remarks that brought the Ceuta issue back into the center of political and media debate in Spain, although they did not amount to an official announcement of any change in Morocco’s policy toward the issue.
Nizar Baraka, Secretary-General of the Istiqlal Party and Minister of Equipment and Water, has also weighed in, describing Spain as an “essential partner” for Morocco while stressing that the Kingdom “will not give up a single inch of its national territory.” His remarks reaffirmed the continued presence of the Ceuta and Melilla issue in Morocco’s political discourse.
Against this backdrop, the poll reflects a debate that goes beyond Morocco’s demands for the two cities and focuses on a more complex question of timing and diplomatic strategy: Should Rabat take the issue to the UN Decolonization Committee under the current circumstances, first build a broad international legal and diplomatic alliance, or continue addressing it through direct negotiations with Madrid?
The results of the three-way poll show a clear preference among participants for giving the issue an international dimension, although opinions remain divided over when and how such a move should be pursued.
