Spain fears ‘demographic transformation’ in African cities

Ceuta and Melilla remain politicised territories for both countries A new demographic study by the Spanish Institution of Statistics (INE) has warned that declining fertility rights in the North African cities of Ceuta and Melilla could lead to a long-term “Moroccanisation” of the Spanish-ruled territories.
Shifts in fertility rates could see a “demographic transformation” in coming years, the study said.
By 2008, children from Moroccan mothers already represented 34 percent of the two cities’ populations, while half of Ceuta and Melilla’s demographic identify themselves as Muslims.
The influence of Catholicism in the Spanish territories is also in decline.
In parallel, the Spanish population is getting increasingly older on average.
Some analysts have claimed the new statistics are not cause for alarm, as the majority of Moroccan residents in the two cities prefer to live under Spanish rule.
Spain has claimed sovereignty over Melilla since 1496 and Ceuta since 1580.
Ceuta and Melilla remain deeply politicised territories for both Morocco and Spain.
In November 2007, Spanish king Juan Carlos II's first visit to the territories in more than 30 years, was vehemently condemned by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.
The enclaves are surrounded by fences, designed to deter illegal immigration from elsewhere in the region.