Spain considers including stateless persons in collective regularization

The Spanish Parliament is reviewing new proposals to include stateless individuals, known as “Apatridas,” in the collective legalization process, in a move that could also involve granting Spanish nationality to a number of Sahrawis residing in the country.

These developments came after a parliamentary meeting that brought together representatives from several Spanish political parties, along with a representative of the Polisario Front in Spain, where participants discussed the exclusion of stateless persons from the collective regularization approved by the Council of Ministers in mid-April.

Proposals to include Sahrawis in Spain’s collective regularization process

During the meeting, several proposals were raised aimed at addressing the exclusion of stateless individuals, particularly members of the Sahrawi people, who are considered among the most affected groups by this decision.

The main options being discussed include:

• Including Sahrawis who hold “stateless person” status within the collective regularization program.
• Amending the current regulatory framework or issuing a ministerial decision to remove their exclusion.
• Working to lift the ban on Spanish nationality legislation for Sahrawis, which has been stalled in the Justice Committee of Parliament since March 2025.

Political sources confirmed that there is strong momentum within Parliament to support this initiative, as a parliamentary majority believes that this group’s legal status should be resolved.

Broad political support from different parties in Spain

What stands out in these discussions is the support coming from multiple political sides, including both left-wing and conservative parties, which is unusual in domestic political issues.

Representatives from several parties participated in the meeting, including:

• Más Madrid
• United Left
• Podemos
• Basque Nationalist Party
• People’s Party

The presence of these parties suggests a broad political consensus on the need to find a legal solution for Sahrawis and stateless persons in Spain.

Absence of the Socialist Party raises questions

On the other hand, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party did not attend the meeting, raising political questions about the position of the current government on this issue.

According to statements reported by political sources, the absence of the Socialist Party was not surprising, especially after the shift in the government’s position since 2022, when it supported an initiative related to the Western Sahara issue.

Some parties also pointed out that successive Spanish governments have historically recognized the right to self-determination for the Sahrawi people, although recent policies have sparked political debate over this file.

This post is also available in: