More than two-thirds of Spaniards oppose Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s plan to grant residency to hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants, according to a new national survey.
Last month, the coalition government led by Pedro Sánchez announced it would move forward with a sweeping migrant regularization through a Royal decree, bypassing a parliamentary vote. The plan would allow illegal migrants who can demonstrate they have no criminal record and have lived in Spain for at least five months to obtain legal residency.
Initial government estimates suggested roughly 500,000 people could benefit. However, alternative projections indicate the number could exceed 850,000.
A poll conducted by SocioMétrica for the Spanish outlet El Español found that 67.4 percent of voters oppose the measure, while just 29.4 percent support it. Opposition appears especially strong among younger voters aged 17 to 35, with nearly 90 percent rejecting the proposal.
Support for the amnesty is concentrated among left-wing voters, including backers of Sánchez’s Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, as well as members of coalition partners Sumar and Podemos.
Concerns about a potential “pull factor” are widespread. Roughly 69 percent of respondents said they believe the announcement could encourage more illegal migration into Spain. Law enforcement sources have reportedly warned that migrants elsewhere in the European Union could attempt to relocate to Spain in hopes of gaining residency, which could then allow movement throughout the Schengen area.
The debate has intensified politically. The anti-immigration party Vox doubled its performance in recent regional elections in Aragón, widely viewed as a political bellwether. Meanwhile, the center-right People’s Party has pledged to make immigration a central issue in the next general election. Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo criticized the amnesty proposal and signaled his party would pursue stricter nationality and residency policies if elected.
Reports also indicate that officials within the European Commission have expressed concern that Spain’s move could undermine broader European Union efforts to deter illegal migration.
As the government moves forward, the political and public backlash suggests immigration policy may become one of the defining issues in Spain’s next national vote.
