Spain’s Parliament Grants Citizenship to Colonial-era Sahrawis

Spain’s lower house of parliament has approved legislation granting citizenship to Sahrawis born during Madrid’s administration of Western Sahara, a decision that risks straining ties with Morocco. The measure passed with 168 votes in favor, 31 against, and 145 abstentions. It would also extend citizenship eligibility to descendants of those who receive it, potentially benefiting between 70,000 and 110,000 Sahrawis. The ruling Socialist Party and its coalition partner Sumar backed the measure, while the conservative opposition abstained and the far-right Vox Party voted against it. Sumar lawmaker Tesh Sidi, the first woman of Sahrawi descent in Spain’s parliament, described the law as restoring an identity once stripped away. Spain governed Western Sahara from 1884 until 1976, after which Morocco began asserting control over the territory. The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, seeks an independent Sahrawi state.