Spain’s Congress of Deputies has approved legislation aimed at restoring access to Spanish nationality for Sahrawis born in Western Sahara during the period of Spanish administration, marking a significant development in the long-standing issue of Sahrawi nationality rights.
The measure seeks to establish a legal pathway for eligible Sahrawis to obtain Spanish nationality and includes provisions concerning their descendants. The legislation must still complete the remaining parliamentary process before it can enter into force.
For the Sahrawi people, the initiative carries profound historical significance. Spain administered Western Sahara until its withdrawal in 1975–1976, leaving a lasting legal and political legacy that continues to affect the Sahrawi population.
The parliamentary vote represents an important acknowledgment of the historical relationship between Spain and the Sahrawi people and opens a potential path toward addressing the loss of nationality rights associated with the end of Spanish administration.
For many Sahrawis, the issue is not simply about citizenship. It is also about identity, historical recognition, and the legal consequences of a colonial past that remains unresolved.