The Spanish nationality of the inhabitants of Western Sahara

Abstract

Western Sahara ceased to be under Spanish sovereignty on 26 February 1976. As a result, all citizens born in the territory before that date claim Spanish nationality. The Saharawis understand that they were born in an area that, at that time, was part of Spain. But the judiciary does not agree, since in June 2020, a Supreme Court ruling denied this theoretical right to the
Saharawis and established that having been born in Western Sahara before that date did not entitle them to obtain Spanish nationality of origin, since it was not considered to be national territory.