Ceuta Crisis in Monaco

Was I dreaming? I was in Monaco on a beautiful, sunny day. As I walked along the Mediterranean shore, hundreds of overcrowded, inflatable boats suddenly appeared out of nowhere, rushing toward the beach, while countless more lined the horizon. The scene mirrored the real-world border crisis that took place last month on the Spanish island territory of Ceuta. And now here in Monaco the crisis escalated rapidly.

Before long, waves of migrants began boarding the massive superyachts docked in the harbor. Within a short period, the migrant population in the tiny principality ballooned to roughly 60,000 people. A large portion of the local Monégasque population fled, leaving their luxury properties to be occupied. It became an absolute national emergency. Up on the rock, the Prince's Palace was completely surrounded by defensive guards, holding back the crowds at the gates.

Seeking urgent territorial assistance, Prince Albert appealed to France. However, President Macron was no longer in power; his wife, Brigitte, was running the country, and she held a personal disdain for the Prince. She flatly refused to absorb the arriving population, telling Prince Albert that Monaco was entirely on its own.

Meanwhile, the international press corps camped out on the palace steps, broadcasting the unfolds of the crisis to a global audience. Around the world, viewers began pointing out the stark historical irony: the global super-rich, who had spent decades utilizing Monaco to avoid contributing to state tax systems, were suddenly desperate for government services and military intervention to secure their private properties and maintain their sheltered paradise. The luxury bubble had officially burst.

Prince Albert, always consumed by public relations and his global philanthropic image, stood before the cameras on his palace balcony to announce a sweeping humanitarian response. He declared that Monaco would accommodate every single arrival, promising them free public housing -- but in France.

Brigitte Macron immediately fired back with an emergency press conference from Paris, stating that France had never been consulted on this plan, and firmly told the Prince to find his own domestic solutions. Regardless of the logistical chaos, humanitarian leaders worldwide loudly praised Prince Albert for his heroic, compassionate stance, publicly wishing that Europe possessed more leaders of his caliber.

The domestic reality, however, was radically different. The remaining Monégasque citizens grew furious with the Palace's handling of the crisis, triggering a sudden domestic uprising that mirrored the Monégasque Revolution of 1910. It became an internal war between the original wealthy residents and the new "tourists," so to speak, while European governments increasingly appeared to side with the migrant organizations, completely alienating their own working populations.

Then, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued an emergency address from Brussels. Declaring that the European Union could not stand by and watch the principality collapse, she promised an institutional solution. Luckily, and surely by pure coincidence, she and her husband had finalized the sale of their entire Monaco real estate portfolio just a few weeks prior.

"We must find a path forward where people of all backgrounds can come together and form a unified community," she announced. She stated that the EU would resolve the immediate crisis, but on one condition: Monaco would have to be fully incorporated into the European Union and finally begin paying its fair share of standard European taxes. In exchange, the EU would distribute and house the population across various member states.

Yet, once the initial wave was cleared, the entire geopolitical cycle simply repeated itself. Eventually, the European Union gave up altogether, transforming the entire country of Monaco into a permanent maritime migrant processing center. A massive banner was erected facing the open ocean, reading: Refugees Welcome.

The historic Monégasque monarchy was abolished, and the Prince's Palace was converted into the official regional headquarters for the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) of the European Commission.

I woke up with Ursula beside me, realizing I was still dreaming. But this shocked me out of the dream entirely. Or was I still dreaming? I felt like René Descartes. But then I thought: Well, better Ursula than Brigitte, I guess, dream or no dream. 

Over coffee, I tried to analyze this dream, and perhaps it wasn't a bad one. It was certainly a nightmare for some, but maybe a new beginning for others. It all really depends on your perspective, and which side of the looking glass you are standing on.

Maybe Karl Marx was right when he said that all history is a struggle between the haves and have-nots. If there was ever a kingdom built entirely for the haves, it would be Monaco. And living there is the ultimate dream for the have-nots. Luckily, dreaming is free.