Spain’s reparations law, which grants citizenship to the descendants of exiles, has sparked a heated debate among politicians. The law, passed in 2022, has already granted citizenship to over 544,722 people, with 306,000 registering on the electoral roll.

Opposition Accusations

Right-wing opposition figures have accused the government of trying to sway next year’s elections with new voters. They claim that the government is interfering in applications from countries whose citizens are less likely to support them and registering new voters in battleground areas to secure extra seats.

The government has rejected these accusations, stating that it has no say over where new citizens register to vote. The opposition has also conflated the law with Spain’s three-month amnesty drive, which grants legal residency to illegal immigrants, but not citizenship or voting rights.

Background

The law builds on a 2007 measure granting citizenship to the grandchildren of exiles from Spain’s 1936-39 civil war and the subsequent dictatorship of Francisco Franco. In 2022, the government extended citizenship rights to the adult children of those who received it under the 2007 law, as well as descendants of people persecuted for their beliefs and women who lost their citizenship after marrying foreigners during the Franco era.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.