# Why Spain’s new Sahrawi citizenship law matters to Morocco

https://mins.news/en/item/56261

- Al Jazeera, 2026-09-13 01:41 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/13/why-spains-new-sahrawi-citizenship-law-matters-to-morocco?traffic_source=rss

> Spain’s Congress has approved a bill creating a special path to citizenship for Sahrawis born in Western Sahara before September 29, 1977, with first-degree descendants also eligible. The measure still needs Senate approval. It would not alter the territory’s status or Spain’s formal backing for Morocco’s autonomy proposal, but Rabat fears it could create a larger community of Spanish and EU citizens tied to the dispute and further strain bilateral relations.

## Related coverage

- [Spanish lawmakers back citizenship for Sahrawis](https://mins.news/en/item/53987) — DW, 2026-09-11
- [Spanish parliament backs citizenship for Western Saharans born under Spanish rule](https://mins.news/en/item/53634) — euronews, 2026-09-10
- [Spanish parliament backs citizenship for Western Saharans born under Spanish rule](https://mins.news/en/video/53644) — euronews, 2026-09-10