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Spanish Parliament Approves Citizenship for Western Saharans Born During Colonial Rule

The Spanish lower house of parliament voted to grant Spanish citizenship to the Sahrawi population born before September 29, 1977, during the period of Spanish colonial rule. The bill passed with 168 votes in favor and 31 against, with the ruling Socialist Party and the left-wing Sumar coalition supporting the measure. The conservative People's Party abstained, while the far-right Vox party voted against it. This legislation could benefit between 70,000 and 110,000 Sahrawis and their descendants. Once the law is officially approved by the Senate, applicants will have three to four years to apply for nationality. The move comes during a period of delicate diplomatic relations between Spain and Morocco, which currently controls most of the territory. Tesh Sidi, a lawmaker from the Sumar coalition, stated that the legislation restores the Spanish national identity card to those who once held it. The bill aims to correct a historic injustice by reducing the residency requirement for Sahrawis to two years, whereas most other residents typically require 10 years to qualify for nationality.

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