Spain passes law granting citizenship to Western Saharans born before 1977

Spain's lawmakers have moved fast to fix a historical wrong. The lower house approved a new law on Thursday by a vote of 168-31. One hundred forty-five members abstained. Now this bill heads to the Senate for its next step. It would grant Spanish citizenship to tens of thousands of Western Saharans born before September 29, 1977. The rule applies even if they never lived in Spain. Their children could also gain nationality through naturalisation.

Supporters call this act a correction of colonial injustice. They say Spain took away identity cards from these people decades ago. Groups estimate the beneficiary pool ranges from 70,000 to 120,000 individuals. The exact count remains unknown until registration begins. This measure follows lower house approval and now awaits Senate review.

Tensions simmer between Madrid and Rabat over migration issues in Ceuta. At least 70,000 migrants arrived from Morocco last July. Spain's left-led government avoids blaming Morocco directly for the surge. Right-wing critics accuse Rabat of political manipulation behind the numbers. Morocco does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta or Melilla. It claims full ownership of Western Sahara since its rule ended in 1975.

The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, fights for an independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Many refugees live in camps near Tindouf in western Algeria. Others reside abroad while some remain inside the disputed territory. Moroccan media reported recently that officials see no issue with these citizenship grants. Ramadan Messaoud, a member of the Royal Advisory Council, stated Rabat has "no problem" with Sahrawis obtaining Spanish status. He added many others have done so over past years.

Tesh Sidi led the charge for this bill within the Sumar coalition. She is the first woman of Sahrawi origin to serve in Spain's Parliament. Her statement highlighted the core purpose of the law. "With the adoption of this legislation, we are restoring – and I emphasise, restoring – the Spanish national identity card," she declared. The conservative People's Party chose to abstain during the vote. Far-right party Vox members voted against it entirely.

Amendments will likely appear in the Senate chamber next. The bill must return to the lower house for final approval before becoming law. This process could take weeks or months depending on legislative delays. The stakes remain high given current diplomatic friction and humanitarian concerns.