Spain approves citizenship route for Sahrawis born under Spanish rule

Spain has taken a significant step towards restoring citizenship rights for thousands of Sahrawis who were born in Western Sahara when the territory was under Spanish administration.

The Spanish Congress has backed legislation that would allow Sahrawis born in the former Spanish Sahara before September 29, 1977, to apply for Spanish nationality, with the measure also providing a route for their descendants.

A historic route to Spanish nationality

The bill received 168 votes in favour, while 31 MPs voted against and 145 abstained. The proposal is being presented as a form of historical and legal reparation for people who were left in a complex position after Spain withdrew from Western Sahara in the 1970s.

Estimates suggest the measure could affect tens of thousands of people, with figures ranging from around 70,000 to 110,000 potential beneficiaries.

For eligible Sahrawis, Spanish citizenship could bring major practical benefits, including the right to live, work and study freely within the European Union.

Decades-old nationality issue

The legislation is being driven by the left-wing Sumar party and has been championed by Sahrawi-born MP Tesh Sidi, Spain’s first Sahrawi woman in Congress.

Supporters argue that the move would correct a long-standing injustice affecting people whose connection with Spain dates back to the country’s administration of Western Sahara.

Spain formally withdrew from the territory in 1975, bringing an end to its colonial administration. The territory subsequently became the centre of a long-running dispute between Morocco and the Polisario Front.

Potential diplomatic tensions

The decision could also have wider diplomatic consequences.

Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara and has previously reacted strongly to developments viewed as supporting a distinct Sahrawi identity or the territory’s independence movement.

The issue is particularly sensitive because Spain changed its position on Western Sahara in 2022, backing Morocco’s proposal for autonomy for the disputed territory. The move helped repair relations between Madrid and Rabat following a period of diplomatic tension.

The nationality legislation has not yet become law. It must still pass through Spain’s Senate before the proposed new route to citizenship can take effect.

If approved, it could represent a major change for thousands of Sahrawis with historic links to Spain, potentially giving them a new legal connection to the country their families were once governed by.