Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez<\/p>\n
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez is facing mounting criticism after unveiling plans to tighten regulation of major social media platforms just days after his government pushed through a mass regularization program expected to benefit around half a million illegal immigrants.<\/p>\n
The announcement, made on Tuesday at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, saw S\u00e1nchez present what he called a package of measures to combat online disinformation, hate speech, and algorithmic amplification of \u201cillegal\u201d content. However, opponents argue the timing is no coincidence, accusing the government of attempting to curb public debate just as backlash grows over its migration policies.<\/p>\n
The irony is that the socialist Spanish prime minister was speaking from a region that has no free speech, and does not offer a single democratic institution.<\/p>\n
Under the government\u2019s migration decree, migrants able to prove they were in Spain before Dec. 31, 2025, and remained in the country for at least five months, may obtain provisional residence and work permits, provided they do not have serious criminal records. Deportation procedures are suspended as soon as applications are filed, and successful applicants receive renewable one-year residence permits.<\/p>\n
The move is expected to be a major pull factor for those seeking to come to Europe, and has already led to border pressure in Ceuta, the Spanish enclave on the African mainland.<\/p>\n