Western Sahara: Spanish Lawmakers Back Citizenship for Sahrawis
[DW] Spanish lawmakers approved a bill that could give citizenship to tens of thousands of Sahrawis and their descendants, amid tense ties with Morocco. The legislation must now pass the senate.
Spanish lawmakers have approved a bill that could grant citizenship to tens of thousands of Sahrawis and their descendants, amid tense relations with Morocco. The legislation, which must still pass the senate, would grant Spanish nationality to those born in Western Sahara under Spanish colonization before September 29, 1977, and allow their descendants to obtain citizenship through naturalization.
Estimates suggest that around 70,000 to over 100,000 individuals may be eligible. The bill's passage comes amid ongoing tensions between Spain and Morocco, with Morocco claiming sovereignty over Western Sahara and the Polisario Front seeking independence. The region has been under Moroccan occupation since 1976, while the Polisario Front maintains a presence across the border in Tindouf, Algeria, where many Sahrawi refugees live.
The vote follows a recent migrant crisis in Ceuta, where scores of migrants died attempting to reach EU territory, causing a rift among EU member states.
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