Despatch: The flaw at the heart of the EU

The Capitalist · Aug 10, 2026 · 6m

The recent Spanish border crisis – in which some 72,000 illegal migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco – should be a wake-up call for Europe, argues Mani Basharzad. Most of those who crossed the border soon returned home, but thousands remained and dozens died in the chaos. Even the most fervent Remainer ought to view these events with relief that Britain is no longer bound by the EU’s right to free movement.

But Basharzad argues that the incident show a much wider failing in the EU: how the weakness of one member state can impose huge costs on the rest of the bloc. From fiscal policy to…