Spain grapples with migrant issues: youth oppose regularisation, Bulgarian population drops, and Canary Islands seek €35

A recent GESOP poll shows that 60 % of Spaniards under 30 oppose the government's extraordinary regularisation of migrants, while overall support sits at 48.3 % and opposition at 47.9 %. The survey highlights a clear generational divide, with older age groups more favourable to the policy.

Statistics from the INE reveal that the Bulgarian‑born population in Spain fell by 39.2 % between 2012 (166,148 residents) and 2022 (101,001 residents), after a decade of rapid growth. A further decline of about 3 % was recorded between 2024 and 2025.

The Canary Islands government has demanded an additional €100 million from the central state to care for more than 3,600 unaccompanied migrant minors, arguing that current funding is insufficient. In response, Youth and Childhood Minister Sira Rego announced a new €35 million fund for autonomous communities with high inflows of migrant minors, allocating €4 million to the Canary Islands on top of the €140 million already assigned.

Both the funding request and the ministerial allocation are linked to the implementation of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, which raises questions about the financing and the role of a designated child‑defender under the new rules.