Rabat — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has ignited controversy after appearing in front of a divided Moroccan map during his Christmas message.
In his message, he commended the over 15,000 Spanish troops serving abroad for their commitment to global peace and security.
The divided map, which omits Morocco’s southern provinces, undermines the country’s territorial integrity and contradicts the 2022 Morocco-Spain agreement, which resolved a year-long crisis sparked by Spain hosting Polisario leader Brahim Ghali in 2021.
Spain's recent display of a divided Moroccan map behind Sanchez comes at a time when Madrid has been reaffirming its desire to strengthen ties with Morocco.
In March 2022, Spain endorsed Morocco's autonomy plan as the sole credible solution to the Western Sahara dispute, marking a significant shift in its stance.
Sanchez's subsequent visit to Morocco solidified Spain's support for the Moroccan initiative.
Since then, both nations have actively sought to bolster relations across various sectors.
Spain has taken notable steps to back Morocco against pro-Polisario voices in Spain and the EU, including the European Court of Justice's invalidation of the EU-Morocco partnership agreement in October.
However, recent reports suggest potential tension over Morocco's alleged "unilateral" decision to expand Western Sahara airspace.
The use of the divided map has raised questions about whether Spain will apologize or confirm a potential crisis, potentially driven by pressure from pro-Polisario parties against Sanchez.
Foreign policy expert Samir Bennis said that "using a divided Moroccan map offends Morocco's government and people, who cannot accept territorial integrity being exploited for political leverage."
The author and co-founder of Morocco World News further said the provocative move "contradicts the spirit guiding Morocco-Spain relations," reminding Sanchez of his letter to King Mohammed to announce Spain's official endorsement of the autonomy initiative as the most serious and credible political solution to the dispute.
In his message, he commended the over 15,000 Spanish troops serving abroad for their commitment to global peace and security.
The divided map, which omits Morocco’s southern provinces, undermines the country’s territorial integrity and contradicts the 2022 Morocco-Spain agreement, which resolved a year-long crisis sparked by Spain hosting Polisario leader Brahim Ghali in 2021.
Spain's recent display of a divided Moroccan map behind Sanchez comes at a time when Madrid has been reaffirming its desire to strengthen ties with Morocco.
In March 2022, Spain endorsed Morocco's autonomy plan as the sole credible solution to the Western Sahara dispute, marking a significant shift in its stance.
Sanchez's subsequent visit to Morocco solidified Spain's support for the Moroccan initiative.
Since then, both nations have actively sought to bolster relations across various sectors.
Spain has taken notable steps to back Morocco against pro-Polisario voices in Spain and the EU, including the European Court of Justice's invalidation of the EU-Morocco partnership agreement in October.
However, recent reports suggest potential tension over Morocco's alleged "unilateral" decision to expand Western Sahara airspace.
The use of the divided map has raised questions about whether Spain will apologize or confirm a potential crisis, potentially driven by pressure from pro-Polisario parties against Sanchez.
Foreign policy expert Samir Bennis said that "using a divided Moroccan map offends Morocco's government and people, who cannot accept territorial integrity being exploited for political leverage."
The author and co-founder of Morocco World News further said the provocative move "contradicts the spirit guiding Morocco-Spain relations," reminding Sanchez of his letter to King Mohammed to announce Spain's official endorsement of the autonomy initiative as the most serious and credible political solution to the dispute.
