Legislation Advances to Senate After Lower House Approval
In a significant legislative move, Spanish lawmakers have endorsed a bill that aims to provide citizenship to tens of thousands of Western Saharans who were born during the period when Spain administered the contested territory, which is now predominantly under Moroccan control. The approval came from Spain's lower house of Parliament, which voted 168 in favor and 31 against, with 145 members choosing to abstain. This pivotal bill still awaits further deliberation in the Senate before it can be enacted into law.
Addressing Historical Injustices and the Implications Ahead
The proposed legislation specifically seeks to extend Spanish nationality to Sahrawis born prior to September 29, 1977, as well as to their descendants through naturalization, irrespective of whether they have ever lived in Spain. While the precise number of individuals eligible for this citizenship remains uncertain, estimates from Sahrawi organizations suggest that between 70,000 and 120,000 individuals could potentially be impacted. Advocates of the bill have characterized this initiative as a rectification of a "historical injustice" stemming from Spain’s colonial past in Western Sahara.
The timing of this vote is particularly delicate, as it occurs amidst heightened tensions in Spain's relations with Morocco, especially following a recent migration crisis in Ceuta, where an influx of at least 70,000 migrants from Morocco has been reported. While Spain's leftist government has refrained from attributing blame to Morocco—given its refusal to acknowledge Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla—the opposition claims that Rabat is manipulating the situation for political leverage.
Morocco has long asserted its claim over Western Sahara and has intensified its control over the territory since the end of Spanish rule. The Polisario Front, an independence movement supported by Algeria, continues to advocate for the establishment of an independent state known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Many Sahrawis currently reside in refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, or abroad, while others remain in Western Sahara. In this context, the initiative to confer Spanish nationality has elicited mixed reactions within Morocco, yet it has not drawn outright condemnation from the Moroccan government. Ramadan Messaoud, a member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, indicated in July that Rabat had "no problem" with Sahrawis acquiring Spanish citizenship, referring to similar cases in recent years.
Historically, Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1975 when Spain relinquished control under agreements with Morocco and Mauritania. The ruling Socialist Party of Spain, alongside its left-wing coalition partner Sumar, which introduced the bill, has openly supported this legislative effort. In contrast, the conservative People’s Party opted to abstain from the vote, while the far-right Vox party opposed it. Tesh Sidi, a member of the Sumar coalition and the first woman of Sahrawi descent to serve in the Spanish Parliament, emphasized the importance of this legislation in restoring the national identity card to Sahrawis who had previously held it but were deprived of it by the state. With the bill's progression to the Senate, it is anticipated that amendments may be introduced before it returns to the lower house for final approval.
As reported by aljazeera.com.
