Spanish Parliament approves Sahrawi citizenship bill, but election call stalls final approval

Spain's Congress voted in favour of a bill that would confer Spanish nationality on Sahrawi residents, gaining backing from the governing party and most of its allies, with PP and Junts abstaining and Vox voting against it. Shortly after the vote, an early election was announced, which automatically nullified any pending legislation that had not completed the full parliamentary process, leaving the bill unable to proceed to the Senate for final approval.

This procedural interruption has been called another disappointment for the Sahrawi community, many of whom have lived in Spain for years and were close to obtaining citizenship. Journalist Gabriela Sánchez, who has tracked the bill's progress, and three Sahrawi residents—Bucharaya, Ahmed and Manata—shared their perspectives on the lost opportunity. Their accounts illustrate how political timing can directly affect individual rights. The episode was featured in a special podcast segment of the daily news show.