Thousands of demonstrators converged on Madrid on Saturday to demand self-determination for Western Sahara, amid growing diplomatic tensions between Spain, Morocco and their international allies. This historic mobilization comes as the PSOE, the ruling party, faces internal divisions on the Sahrawi question.
Thousands of activists and supporters gathered in the streets of the Spanish capital, at the call of CEAS-Sahara and FEMAS. The protesters surged under banners proclaiming “Aself-determination of Western Sahara: compliance with the judgments of the Court of Justice of the EU “. Deputy Enrique Santiago of Izquierda Unida joined the procession to denounce the “ complicity » of Madrid with Rabat, highlighting the “ historical and moral debt » of Spain towards the Sahrawi people.
The Spanish Socialist Party is going through a period of internal turbulence as it approaches its 41st Federal Congress. The Socialists for the Sahara collective protests against the absence of the Sahrawi question in the strategic document “ Spain 2030. A socialism that advances“. Several amendments emerged to reintegrate this crucial issue into the party’s political agenda.
International issues are intensifying
The project to establish an American consulate in Dakhla, a legacy of the Trump administration, which remained on hold under the Biden presidency, also risks resurfacing. The Polisario Front, through its delegate Abdullah Arabi, castigates this initiative which it describes as “ tentative marketing » to legitimize the Moroccan occupation.
Finally, the Israeli presence has intensified since the normalization of relations with Morocco in 2020. Sophisticated military systems, such as the SPYDER and Barak missiles, have been deployed near the Mauritanian border. At the same time, Dakhla is emerging as a popular tourist destination for Israeli visitors, while renewable energy projects are multiplying.
A historic responsibility of Spain
A former colonial power, Spain administered this territory until 1975, the year it signed the Madrid Tripartite Agreements with Morocco and Mauritania, de facto transferring the administration of Western Sahara without consulting the Sahrawis. This decision, taken in a context of decline of the Franco regime, marked the start of a conflict which continues. Thus, Spain retains a legal and moral responsibility in the search for a fair solution.
However, successive governments have continued to adopt ambiguous positions, oscillating between neutrality and concessions to Moroccan interests. This inaction fuels the resentment of the Sahrawi people, who see Madrid as an actor complicit in the Moroccan occupation, in defiance of United Nations resolutions and the right to self-determination. As such, many voices are calling on Spain to fully recognize its historical obligations and play an active role in resolving this conflict.
Faced with the tangle of international interests, the Sahrawi people persist in their quest for self-determination. The demonstrators insisted that a political solution respectful of international law remains the only path to lasting peace in the region.
