Spain has naturalized over 237,000 Moroccans since 2018, reflecting a dramatic increase under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. In 2023, 45,799 Moroccans gained citizenship, contributing to a total of 240,208 foreigners obtaining Spanish nationality. The influx of Moroccan residents has also influenced electoral dynamics, particularly in Catalonia, where the naturalized population plays a significant role. A proposed regularization program may further reshape immigration in Spain.
Since 2018, Spain has naturalized over 237,000 Moroccan nationals, marking a significant increase from previous years, as reported by the Spanish Ministry of Social Security and Migration. Moroccans rank among the top three immigrant groups within Spain, whose population reached nearly 49 million on January 1. The current pace of naturalization has continued under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, contrasting sharply with the tenure of former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who approved about 130,000 naturalizations during a similar timeframe.
In 2023 alone, Spain granted citizenship to 45,799 Moroccan nationals, reflecting a 5.4% growth from 2022, although the National Statistics Institute (INE) reports a higher total of 54,027 naturalizations. The demographic receiving citizenship predominantly comprises young males, with an average age of 19, many of whom are former unaccompanied minors who qualify upon turning 18. Currently, there are approximately 844,969 Moroccans residing in Spain, but INE estimates this number may reach about 1.1 million.
In the last quarter of 2024, Spain welcomed 27,700 new Moroccan immigrants, while 12,300 decided to leave. Of the 9.4 million foreign-born residents in Spain, about 2.6 million have secured Spanish nationality recently. The rise in naturalization rates reportedly influenced the 2023 elections, especially in Catalonia, where around 150,000 newly naturalized Moroccan voters reside. Notably, Catalonia witnessed an increase of 16,172 new Moroccan naturalizations in 2022, contrasting with Andalusia’s figures.
2023 recorded a total of 240,208 foreigners acquiring Spanish citizenship, a 32.3% rise compared to the previous year, with Moroccans making up 22.5% of this group. Other contributing nationalities included Venezuelans and Colombians. Generally, the naturalization process requires evidence of good conduct, no criminal record, demonstrated integration, and successful completion of tests by Instituto Cervantes, with a processing timeline that can take up to three years.
The Spanish government has proposed a significant regularization program that could benefit around 700,000 undocumented immigrants who entered before the end of 2023. Should this plan be authorized, it would represent Spain’s largest regularization initiative to date. Historically, there have been six extraordinary regularization processes since 1985, with previous efforts yielding hundreds of thousands of permits.
In a notable event, two young Moroccan men were granted citizenship in August 2023 for heroically rescuing a drowning elderly man in Lérida’s Serós Canal, a rarity as historically only three such citizenships have been awarded for heroic acts between 1993 and 2024. Additionally, over 218,000 citizenship applications remain in process, indicating sustained demand for Spanish nationality among foreign nationals.
In summary, Spain has significantly increased the naturalization of Moroccan citizens since 2018, with several factors contributing to this trend, including the political climate and demographic shifts. The rise in naturalizations has both practical implications for immigration policies and political repercussions within regions like Catalonia. The ongoing proposal for regularization could further impact these dynamics.
Original Source: www.moroccoworldnews.com
