Spain’s parliament has backed legislation that could grant Spanish citizenship to tens of thousands of Sahrawis born in Western Sahara during Spanish colonial rule, a historic move that could also deepen tensions with Morocco.

Madrid, Spain — Spain’s lower house of parliament has approved a bill offering a pathway to Spanish citizenship for Sahrawis born in Western Sahara while the territory was under Spanish administration.

Lawmakers approved the measure on Thursday by a vote of 168 to 31, with 145 abstentions.

The legislation would allow Sahrawis born in Western Sahara before September 29, 1977, to obtain Spanish nationality through naturalization, even if they have never lived in Spain.

Their children would also be eligible to acquire Spanish citizenship. The bill must still pass through Spain’s Senate before becoming law.

Tens of Thousands of Sahrawis Could Gain Spanish Citizenship

The exact number of people who could benefit remains unclear, but Sahrawi organizations estimate that between 70,000 and 120,000 people may qualify.

Supporters have described the legislation as an attempt to address a historical injustice stemming from Spain’s colonial rule and its withdrawal from Western Sahara.

Spain administered the territory from the late 19th century until the 1970s.

After Spain withdrew, Morocco and Mauritania moved into the territory. Mauritania later abandoned its territorial claim, while Morocco now controls most of Western Sahara.

The Polisario Front, meanwhile, has continued its campaign for an independent Sahrawi state.

The dispute remains unresolved decades later, with the United Nations continuing to regard Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory.

A Historic Vote for Sahrawis

The legislation was promoted by Sumar, part of Spain’s governing coalition.

Among its leading supporters is Tesh Sidi, a Spanish parliamentarian of Sahrawi origin who has argued that Spain has a historical responsibility toward the Sahrawi people.

Supporters say many Sahrawis were effectively left without meaningful access to Spanish nationality when Madrid ended its administration of Western Sahara.

The new legislation seeks to address that legacy by recognizing the historical relationship between Spain and people born in the territory under Spanish rule.

It also establishes ways for applicants to prove their connection to Spanish-administered Western Sahara, including historical Spanish documents, birth records, and records connected to the planned Western Sahara referendum.

Spain’s Citizenship Vote Could Strain Relations With Morocco

The decision carries significant geopolitical consequences because Morocco claims Western Sahara as part of its territory.

Rabat considers the issue central to its national interests and supports an autonomy plan that would keep Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty.

The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, seeks independence.

Spain further complicated its historical position in 2022 when Madrid endorsed Morocco’s autonomy proposal as the most credible basis for resolving the conflict, improving relations with Rabat, but angering Algeria and supporters of Sahrawi independence.

The citizenship legislation could now create another sensitive issue between Spain and Morocco.

It comes amid renewed tensions between Madrid and Rabat following a major migration crisis involving Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta.

Western Sahara Remains One of Africa’s Longest Unresolved Disputes

The citizenship debate also brings renewed attention to a conflict that has remained unresolved for half a century.

Western Sahara is rich in phosphate deposits and fishing resources and sits along an increasingly strategic section of Africa’s Atlantic coast.

Morocco controls most of the territory, including its major population centers, while the Polisario Front administers areas further east.

Thousands of Sahrawis also continue to live in refugee camps in neighboring Algeria.

A United Nations-backed referendum intended to determine Western Sahara’s future has never taken place, as disagreements over voter eligibility and the territory’s political status have repeatedly prevented a final settlement.

What Spain’s Citizenship Bill Means for Western Sahara

For Sahrawis, the legislation carries significance beyond access to a Spanish passport.

It represents an acknowledgment in Spain’s parliament that Madrid retains a historical responsibility toward people whose lives and legal status were profoundly affected by the end of Spanish colonial rule.

But the measure does not change Western Sahara’s territorial status, nor does granting Spanish nationality amount to Spanish recognition of an independent Sahrawi state. Its immediate impact is on citizenship.

If the Senate approves the legislation, eligible Sahrawis would gain a new route to Spanish nationality, while their children would also have an opportunity to obtain citizenship.

For Spain, however, the decision requires balancing historical responsibility with its strategically important relationship with Morocco.

For Western Sahara, the vote has once again pushed one of Africa’s longest-running territorial disputes back into the international spotlight.