Spain Backs Citizenship for Western Sahara’s Sahrawis
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Spain's decision to offer Sahrawis born under its colonial rule a path to citizenship is a welcome step toward addressing a difficult historical legacy. Tens of thousands have spent decades in refugee camps, and the measure recognizes people whose ties to Spain predate its withdrawal from Western Sahara. The law gives Madrid a chance to acknowledge that shared history and responsibility while providing Sahrawis with a practical route to rights and citizenship.
Government-critical narrative
Handing out Spanish passports to tens of thousands of people in Algerian-run camps is a reckless move that risks reigniting a dispute Madrid had already moved to settle. Spain endorsed Morocco's autonomy plan as the most realistic path forward, yet this would give the Polisario a new separatist lever and strain relations with Rabat. After the Ceuta crisis exposed Spain's border vulnerabilities, provoking another confrontation with Morocco is pure self-harm.