Spanish Parliament Approves Citizenship Path for Western Saharans Born Before 1977

Spanish lawmakers have voted in favor of a bill that would grant citizenship to tens of thousands of Western Saharans who were born during the period when Spain administered the disputed territory, now largely controlled by Morocco. On Thursday, the lower house of Parliament approved the legislation with a vote of 168 in favor, 31 against, and 145 abstentions.

The proposal grants Spanish nationality to Sahrawis born before September 29, 1977, as well as their children through naturalization, even if they have never lived in Spain. While the exact number of eligible individuals is unknown, Sahrawi organizations estimate that between 70,000 and 120,000 people could benefit. Supporters have characterized the measure as addressing a “historical injustice” committed by colonial Spain.

The legislation now requires approval from the Senate, where amendments are anticipated, before it can become law. The initiative was filed by Spain’s ruling Socialist Party and its junior coalition partner, Sumar. The conservative People’s Party abstained during the vote, while the far-right Vox party opposed it.

Tesh Sidi of the Sumar coalition, noted as the first woman of Sahrawi origin to serve in Spain’s Parliament, emphasized the restorative nature of the bill. “With the adoption of this legislation, we are restoring – and I emphasise, restoring – the Spanish national identity card to those Sahrawis who once held it and from whom this state took it away,” she said.

The vote occurs amid heightened tensions between Madrid and Rabat. Relations have been strained by a migration crisis in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, where at least 70,000 migrants from Morocco arrived in July. Although Spain’s leftist government has avoided directly blaming Morocco, opposition parties have accused Rabat of orchestrating the surge for political leverage. Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara, which Spain relinquished in 1975 under agreements with Morocco and Mauritania.

Despite the geopolitical sensitivity, the Moroccan government has not condemned the Spanish initiative. Moroccan media reported that Ramadan Messaoud, a member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, stated in July that Rabat had “no problem” with Sahrawis obtaining Spanish citizenship, noting that some had done so in previous years.

Western Sahara remains a contested territory, with the Algerian-backed Polisario Front seeking recognition of an independent state known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Many Sahrawis currently reside in refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, or live abroad, while others remain in the territory itself.