Former Catalan president and Junts party leader Carles Puigdemont has reignited debate over the status of Ceuta and Melilla, describing the two Spanish-controlled cities on Morocco’s northern coast as “colonies or cities inside Morocco” and floating the idea of a self-determination referendum.
In an interview with the British newspaper The Times, reported by Spanish media on Sunday, September 20, 2026, Puigdemont linked the situation of the enclaves to the principle of self-determination.
He argued that organizing a referendum could provide residents with a more legitimate basis to express their views on the territories’ political future.
Puigdemont noted that Spain would not permit such a referendum, citing concerns that it could create a precedent for independence movements in Catalonia.
The remarks come against the backdrop of Puigdemont’s long-standing advocacy for Catalan self-determination, which peaked with the unilateral independence referendum held in the region in 2017.
His comments place the longstanding Moroccan claim to Ceuta and Melilla back into Spanish political discussion, framing the enclaves through the same lens of colonial legacy and popular consultation that has defined his own political trajectory.