Algeria Pressures Spain to Change Its Stance on Western Sahara

Rabat – Algeria is once again trying to push Spain to reconsider its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara. On Wednesday, the president of the lower house of the Algerian Parliament, Ibrahim Boughali, urged Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to take a step back from the pro-Moroccan position his government adopted in 2022. 

Boughali made this request during a meeting with Spain’s ambassador to Algeria, Fernando Moran, according to Algerian media.

He expressed his “regret over Spain’s sudden change of position on the Western Sahara issue,” calling on Madrid to “return to its historically neutral stance” on the matter, Akhbar Dzair reported. He also suggested strengthening parliamentary ties between the two countries. 

However, despite these desperate diplomatic efforts, Spain has not shown any sign of changing its position. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares reaffirmed earlier this month that Madrid would remain committed to its roadmap with Morocco.

Algerian media have recently been suggesting that Spain is having second thoughts about its position on Western Sahara, but the reality tells a different story.

While Algeria continues to lobby against Morocco’s autonomy plan, Spain has not wavered. The joint declaration signed by Spain and Morocco on April 7, 2022, clearly states that Spain considers Morocco’s autonomy proposal as the “most serious, realistic, and credible basis” for resolving the Sahara dispute. 

In addition, Spain continues to express its dedication to elevating relations with Morocco. Albares reaffirmed this stance on Tuesday, just two days after Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune spoke about “normalizing” relations with Spain.

Despite these diplomatic pressures, Madrid has not responded to Algeria’s repeated calls to reconsider its position. The fact that Algeria continues its efforts to convince Spain to change its stance suggests that its lobbying efforts have not been successful, contrary to what Algerian media have been reporting. 

Rather than showing a shift in Spain’s position, Algeria’s continued dissatisfaction highlights the failure of its strategy to reverse the Spanish government’s embrace of the Moroccan Autonomy Plan. For now, Madrid remains firm in its support for Morocco’s proposal and stands by its commitment to a strong partnership with Rabat.

Morocco has been enjoying significant diplomatic gains and growing international support regarding the Western Sahara issue, especially after France’s endorsement of the country’s autonomy plan last year.