Soraya Rodríguez: The Grandchildren's Law Restores Historical Justice

Former Citizens Member of the European Parliament, Soraya Rodríguez, asserted on Thursday that Spain's Grandchildren's Law is primarily an act of reparation rather than an electoral strategy. She elaborated on this stance during an interview with Tania Costa for CiberCuba, where she dissected the heated political debate surrounding the law's ramifications in Spain.

"Above all, the Grandchildren's Law stands as a symbol of historical justice and reconciliation for a democratic nation with its authoritarian past," Rodríguez stated emphatically. "That's the crux of the matter. Hence, the Grandchildren's Law is an instrument of justice," she added with conviction.

Rodríguez, who previously served as a socialist deputy and as Secretary of State for International Cooperation, argued that descendants of exiles seeking Spanish citizenship are merely reclaiming what was rightfully theirs, had their families not been expelled from Spain for political or ideological reasons during Franco's dictatorship.

"All those applying for citizenship because they are children of exiles would have been Spaniards if their grandparents or parents hadn't had to flee," she emphasized, adding, "Let them come and be Spanish nationals."

Political Opportunism Sparks Controversy

In response to the uproar in 2026, with general elections slated for 2027, Rodríguez firmly dismissed the controversy as politically motivated. "A great fuss has been made, and from my perspective, it stems from political opportunism rather than objective reasons," she declared.

Rodríguez reminded that the application period was open for two years and concluded in October 2025 without any reports of disruptions to the electoral roll. "The Grandchildren's Law has been in place for many years, and the process for Spanish nationality applications ended last October 2025, having been active for two more years... during this period, nothing happened," she noted.

Criticism of Political Manipulation

Rodríguez also refuted allegations from the Popular Party, which described the process as electoral engineering. "It's quite absurd for a governing party, which wins elections, to question the electoral system that grants it majorities," she remarked, criticizing the Popular Party for following "the extreme right-wing path of Vox" by questioning a law that both the Popular Party and Socialists supported at the time.

She also dismissed the notion that newly naturalized citizens would unanimously support a particular party. "It seems absurd and ridiculous for any political party to assume that all those voting would choose the Socialist Party or the Popular Party," she commented.

Motivations Beyond Politics

Furthermore, Rodríguez highlighted that a significant portion of those applying for citizenship did so for professional mobility reasons, not electoral purposes. "Many individuals seeking Spanish nationality also wish to become European citizens. It will facilitate their movement across Europe, their professional establishment in any European country, and perhaps voting isn't their primary concern," she explained.

As of the interview, nearly two and a half million applications had been submitted, though completed files numbered around 400,000-450,000. Cuba accounted for over 350,000 initiated applications, which has fueled further accusations regarding the Cuban regime's role in document management.

Rodríguez concluded her defense of the law by highlighting the robustness of Spain's institutional framework and the profound significance of the law. "The Spanish electoral system is very solid," she affirmed, "and many Spaniards find solace in the Grandchildren's Law because it represents a democratic state's act of justice concerning a 40-year dictatorship."