Parlamenta Spain ayaa ogolaatay in dadka reer Sahrawi loo siiyo dhaq-dhaqaaqka rasmiga ah ee Spain
Parlamenta Spain ayaa maanta ogolaatay qorshaha rasmiga ah ee ah in dadka reer Sahrawi ee dhalay ka hor 29-kii September 1977 loo siiyo dhaq-dhaqaaqka rasmiga ah ee Spain, iyadoo 168 cod oo diyaar u ah iyo 31 cod oo ka soo horjeestay ay ku dhawaaqeen go'aankaas.
Qorshaha iyo codadka
Parlamenta Spain ayaa maanta ogolaatay qorshaha rasmiga ah ee ah in dadka reer Sahrawi ee dhalay ka hor 29-kii September 1977 loo siiyo dhaq-dhaqaaqka rasmiga ah ee Spain, iyadoo 168 cod oo diyaar u ah iyo 31 cod oo ka soo horjeestay ay ku dhawaaqeen go'aankaas.
Qorshahan wuxuu ku saleysan yahay in dadka reer Sahrawi ee dhalay ka hor 29-kii September 1977 loo siiyo dhaq-dhaqaaqka rasmiga ah ee Spain, iyadoo 168 cod oo diyaar u ah iyo 31 cod oo ka soo horjeestay ay ku dhawaaqeen go'aankaas.
Xaqiijinta iyo xisaabta
Qorshahan wuxuu ku saleysan yahay in dadka reer Sahrawi ee dhalay ka hor 29-kii September 1977 loo siiyo dhaq-dhaqaaqka rasmiga ah ee Spain, iyadoo 168 cod oo diyaar u ah iyo 31 cod oo ka soo horjeestay ay ku dhawaaqeen go'aankaas.
Qorshahan wuxuu ku saleysan yahay in dadka reer Sahrawi ee dhalay ka hor 29-kii September 1977 loo siiyo dhaq-dhaqaaqka rasmiga ah ee Spain, iyadoo 168 cod oo diyaar u ah iyo 31 cod oo ka soo horjeestay ay ku dhawaaqeen go'aankaas.
Saameynta siyaasadda
Qorshahan wuxuu ku saleysan yahay in dadka reer Sahrawi ee dhalay ka hor 29-kii September 1977 loo siiyo dhaq-dhaqaaqka rasmiga ah ee Spain, iyadoo 168 cod oo diyaar u ah iyo 31 cod oo ka soo horjeestay ay ku dhawaaqeen go'aankaas.
Qorshahan wuxuu ku saleysan yahay in dadka reer Sahrawi ee dhalay ka hor 29-kii September 1977 loo siiyo dhaq-dhaqaaqka rasmiga ah ee Spain, iyadoo 168 cod oo diyaar u ah iyo 31 cod oo ka soo horjeestay ay ku dhawaaqeen go'aankaas.
Spain's lower house of Parliament has approved a law granting Spanish nationality to Western Saharans born before 29 September 1977, in a move described as correcting a historic injustice. The bill passed 168 votes to 31, with the People's Party abstaining and the far-right Vox party voting against it. The legislation still requires Senate approval before it can take effect.
Scope of the Citizenship Grant
The law grants Spanish nationality to Sahrawis born before 29 September 1977 and to their children through naturalisation, even if they never resided in Spain. Around 80,000 Sahrawis are believed to be eligible, with some estimates reaching almost 200,000 when including descendants. Sahrawi groups estimate that between 70,000 and 120,000 people could benefit from the legislation.
To qualify, applicants must prove their status using a valid document — a Spanish ID card, an entry in the UN-verified census compiled for a planned but never held referendum on Western Sahara's status, or a birth certificate. Less formal documents, such as school records, retirement pension paperwork, a Spanish driver's license, or hospital and medical records, can also be used as evidence.
Political Dynamics and Diplomatic Implications
The bill was championed by Sumar, a smaller party in Spain's coalition government, whose members include Tesh Sidi, an engineer born in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria. Sidi said, 'We are correcting a historic injustice: cutting the process down to two years once you have legal residence in Spain. Until now, Sahrawis had to wait 10, 14, or even 24 years to apply for Spanish nationality, despite having a Spanish father and legal residence.'
The vote comes at a particularly sensitive time for Madrid's historically delicate relations with Rabat due to the migration crisis in Spain's north African territory of Ceuta, and the mass arrival of at least 70,000 migrants from Morocco in July. The initiative to grant Spanish nationality to Sahrawis has divided opinion in Morocco but not prompted condemnation from the government.
Moroccan Reaction and Regional Context
Moroccan media quoted Ramadan Messaoud, a member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, as saying in July that Rabat had 'no problem' with Sahrawis obtaining Spanish citizenship. Others had done so 'over the past few years', noted Messaoud, who is also president of the Sahrawi Association for Human Rights.
Western Sahara has been largely controlled by Morocco since 1975, but the United Nations considers it a non-self-governing territory. The Algerian-backed Polisario Front independence movement seeks recognition of an independent state called the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Madrid shifted its long-standing position of neutrality in 2022 and backed Rabat's autonomy plan for the former Spanish colony as part of a diplomatic rapprochement.
