Andalucia must take almost double the number of unaccompanied child migrants than it currently has, it has been ruled.
After months of negotiations, disagreements, and political disputes, Spain’s central government has approved a royal decree regulating the distribution of migrant minors among the 17 autonomous regions.
The measure sets a common rate of 32.6 minors per 100,000 inhabitants, obliging regions to provide care based on population size.
For Andalucia, the decree translates to a capacity of 2,827 places – almost double the 1,455 minors currently under its guardianship.
READ MORE: Moment boat migrant lands on beach in Andalucia before locals tackle arrivals
With the region’s population the largest in Spain, the new quota requires its reception centres to accommodate 1,372 more children.
By comparison, Valencia will take on 1,216 more places, while Galicia must add 620.
Government spokesperson Pilar Alegria confirmed the measure on Tuesday following the Council of Ministers meeting.
The decree develops the 11th additional provision of Organic Law 4/2000 on the rights and freedoms of foreigners, which establishes an extraordinary protocol for situations where a region triples its capacity.
In such cases, minors must be transferred to other territories within 15 days.
Regional distribution
According to the decree, the ordinary reception capacities by region are: Andalucia (2,827), Catalonia (2,650), Madrid (2,325), Galicia (886), Aragon (441), Asturias (331), Balearic Islands (406), Canary Islands (737), Cantabria (194), Castilla y Leon (783), Castilla-La Mancha (692), Extremadura (344), Murcia (517), Navarre (223), Basque Country (731), La Rioja (107), Ceuta (27), and Melilla (28).
The system introduces the mandatory solidarity mechanism long demanded by the Canary Islands, which currently bears the heaviest burden of arrivals.
Around 3,000 minors from the archipelago and the North African territory of Ceuta will now be transferred to other regions.
Legal challenges and political reaction
The decree has already been challenged before the Constitutional Court by ten PP-led regions and Castilla-La Mancha, where the PSOE governs with outside support.
The Community of Madrid has separately appealed to the Supreme Court, and the Balearic Islands have also announced a legal challenge, requesting a precautionary suspension.
With their current reception levels, the Basque Country and Catalonia are not obliged to take in additional minors, although Catalonia has said it will voluntarily accept 31, consistent with previous campaigns.
Andalucian president Juanma Moreno criticised the decree for failing to recognise his region’s status as Spain’s southern frontier.
He argued that Andalucia faces far greater migration pressures than the Basque Country, which he said benefits from recognition as a border region despite receiving few arrivals by sea.
‘Andalusia is a stone’s throw from Africa, and boats arrive on our beaches every day,’ Moreno said, accusing the central government of favouring other regions in the distribution.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
