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‘A historic day’: Spain moves closer to citizenship for Western Saharans

Spain’s parliament backs citizenship for Sahrawis amid tense relations with Morocco after the Ceuta crossing.

The Spanish Congress passed a bill on Thursday that could provide Spanish citizenship to tens of thousands of Sahrawis born during the country's rule over Western Sahara, as well as their descendants. The legislation, which now needs approval from the Senate, has generated heightened sensitivity amid strained relations between Spain and Morocco.

The bill's supporters argue it corrects a historic injustice by expediting the Spanish nationality process for those with Spanish ancestry or residency. Meanwhile, the far-right Vox voted against it, accusing Morocco of inciting the issue. The bill would allow eligible Sahrawis to apply within three years of its publication.

Written by urgent.news from Spain in English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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