Spanish Concerns Over Gas Pricing Negotiations with Algeria

Spanish politicians are invoking Algeria in the context of their country’s crisis with the Moroccan regime, viewing it as part of a geopolitical equation that must be taken into account in any resolution of the dispute with the Kingdom of Morocco. Their position is rooted in the belief that Algeria holds leverage capable of making Madrid think twice before taking any action.

As the political fallout from the Moroccan regime’s alleged involvement in orchestrating the mass influx of tens of thousands of Moroccan migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta continues to reverberate inside Spain, inflicting significant political damage on Pedro Sánchez’s government, voices have emerged warning against any rapprochement with Rabat that could come at the expense of Spain’s other partner on the southern shore of the Mediterranean: Algeria, its principal gas supplier.

Among those voices is Aitor Esteban, leader of the Spanish party EBB, who warned against the possibility of Pedro Sánchez’s government capitulating to the Moroccan regime. Esteban alleged that the Moroccan authorities had been blackmailing several members of the Spanish government since Moroccan intelligence services infiltrated their phones in what became known as the infamous Pegasus scandal.
In an interview with El Correo, published on Monday, September 14, 2026, Esteban was asked: “Do you have any indication that Sánchez may be subject to coercion or blackmail by Morocco?”

He replied: “The only thing I can confirm, as I previously stated in Parliament, is that the Pegasus espionage scandal took place. A few months later, we witnessed a shift in Spain’s position on the Western Sahara issue. It was an earthquake for which no explanation was ever provided. But the situation is extremely complex, and it is politically difficult for this government—or any other government—to deal with.”

Against this backdrop, Spain’s interests in Algeria take on particular significance, foremost among them the launch of negotiations between Algiers and Madrid to increase gas exports and determine pricing arrangements.
Esteban explained: “Morocco has strengthened its position through its alliance with U.S. President Trump. It has invested heavily in foreign policy, espionage, and the exercise of influence. Israel, too, is drawing closer to Morocco because this serves its interests along the Sahel’s borders. Meanwhile, Spain has been forced to reopen gas negotiations with Algeria.”

He added that he could not rule out the possibility that the Moroccan regime might exert pressure on the Spanish government, drawing on the information it possesses about Spanish officials.

The episode involving the mass entry of Moroccan migrants into Ceuta, carried out with the complicity of the Moroccan regime, came approximately one week after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s visit to Algeria. One of the key outcomes of that visit was a decision to increase Algeria gas exports to Spain through the Medgaz pipeline by 10%. The move was intended to compensate for part of the capacity previously supplied through the Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline, which Algeria shut down in November 2021.

The visit reportedly angered the Moroccan regime at the time, an apparent reaction that manifested itself in the involvement of Moroccan police and military forces in the Ceuta incursion.

Esteban’s remarks about the reopening of gas negotiations between Algeria and Madrid suggest that communication between the two countries has remained ongoing since Sánchez’s visit to Algeria, in preparation for the High-Level Joint Committee meeting scheduled to take place in Madrid next month.

The meeting is expected to follow through on the outcomes of Sánchez’s latest visit, which produced a political agreement in the energy sector, particularly gas. According to the Spanish politician, the agreement forms part of an effort to rebuild bilateral relations following the Western Sahara crisis, in response to the growing rapprochement between the Moroccan regime, on the one hand, and the zionist entity with the United States, on the other.
Since the political agreement on gas was reached at a higher level during Sánchez’s visit to Algeria, the remaining steps are expected to involve technical arrangements between Sonatrach and its Spanish counterpart, Naturgy. These discussions are scheduled to take place during the summit between the two countries next month, which is expected to bring the negotiations to a conclusion.

It is precisely this process that Aitor Esteban fears could be obstructed by the Moroccan regime if it continues to exert pressure on Madrid in an effort to prevent the restoration of the historic relationship between Algeria and Spain.