Western Saharans closer to Spanish citizenship after vote

Western Saharans moved closer to Spanish citizenship after lawmakers in Spain backed a bill covering many Sahrawis born when Spain ran the disputed territory and their children.

Parliament passed the initiative on September 10 by 168 votes to 31. The bill still needs Senate approval before it can become law.

The text would grant Spanish nationality through a certificate of naturalisation to Sahrawis born before September 29, 1977, and to their children. It treats that date as the effective end of decolonisation.

The exact number of potential beneficiaries is unknown. AFP reported that around 80,000 Sahrawis are believed to be eligible, with some estimates reaching almost 200,000 including descendants.

Western Sahara has been largely controlled by Morocco since 1975, while the United Nations considers it a non-self-governing territory. Morocco has long been in conflict with the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the Sahrawi people.

The vote comes during strained relations between Madrid and Rabat after tens of thousands of migrants entered Spain's North African territory of Ceuta from Morocco in late July. Spain's leftist government has avoided blaming Morocco, while the right accuses Rabat of organising the surge for political motives.

Moroccan media quoted Ramadan Messaoud, a member of Morocco's Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs and president of the Sahrawi Association for Human Rights, as saying in July that Rabat had "no problem" with Sahrawis obtaining Spanish citizenship.