Spanish Lower House Approves Citizenship for Sahrawis Born Under Spanish Rule

Spain's lower house of Parliament voted on Thursday to approve legislation that would grant Spanish citizenship to people born in Western Sahara before September 29, 1977. The bill passed with 168 votes in favor, 31 against, and 145 abstentions. The measure would also allow the descendants of these individuals to obtain citizenship through naturalization, regardless of whether they have resided in Spain. Estimates suggest between 70,000 and 120,000 people could be eligible for the nationality. The legislation must now pass the Senate before it can become law.

The vote followed a political divide in parliament. The ruling Socialist Party and its left wing partner Sumar supported the bill, while the conservative People's Party abstained and the far right Vox opposed it. Tesh Sidi, a lawmaker from Sumar and the first woman of Sahrawi origin in parliament, stated that the law restores identity cards that the state had previously taken away.

This legislative move occurs during a period of tension between Madrid and Rabat. Relations have been strained following a July migration crisis in Ceuta, where a large influx of migrants led to numerous deaths. While the Spanish government has avoided blaming Morocco for the crisis, some right wing voices accuse Rabat of orchestrating the surge for political reasons. Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara, a territory Spain controlled until 1976. An indigenous resistance group known as the Polisario Front seeks independence for the region, and many displaced Sahrawis currently live in refugee camps in Algeria.