Large protest in Madrid against Spain's position on Western Sahara

Hundreds of protesters opposed Spain's new position on the fate of Western Sahara as an autonomous region of Morocco. The protesters gathered outside Spain's Foreign Affairs Ministry to make their voices heard.

“We feel betrayed because he said that he gives sovereignty over the Saharawi territory to the Moroccans and we do not feel equal to them," said protester Fatu Abahai, who came from Basque Country to Madrid to demonstrate.

Morocco considers Western Sahara its own but an Algeria-backed independence movement demands a sovereign state. For years most countries, including Spain, had advocated for an independence referendum to determine its fate.

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Madrid told Rabat last Friday (March 18) that it regarded its autonomy proposal for Western Sahara as "serious, credible and realistic," in a move expected to help patch up sour relations between the two countries.

Waving Saharan flags, protesters claimed “Sanchez, traitor” and “free Sahara” while holding a banner reading "Sahara is not for sale."

The change of position - led by Sanchez's Socialist Party - came as a surprise to the coalition government's junior partner, the far left Podemos party, which criticised the move. They were joined by dissenting voices from experts, media and non-governmental organisations.

In recent years the prospect of an independence referendum has waned and even the United Nations has ceased referring to a vote, speaking instead of seeking a realistic, mutually acceptable solution based on compromise.

Relations cooled between Spain and Morocco last year after Rabat accused Madrid of not telling it about admitting a Western Sahara independence leader for medical treatment using Algerian documents.

(With inputs from agencies)