Spain's secrecy law overhaul could unlock files on Green March and withdrawal from Sahara

Spain is moving to overhaul its decades-old secrecy laws, opening the door to the release of documents that could shed light on one of the most sensitive episodes in its modern history, the withdrawal from the Moroccan Sahara.

The government of Pedro Sánchez has sent a Classified Information Bill to parliament, a proposal that would replace the 1968 Official Secrets Law, introduced under Franco’s regime. 

The reform sets strict rules on how information can be classified and, more importantly, puts time limits on secrecy. 

Under the new system, “top secret” files would be opened after 45 years, while documents considered “secret” would be released after 35. 

Less sensitive categories, like confidential and restricted, would have shorter timelines, ranging from four to nine years.

Spanish officials stress that classification should be “exceptional” and always justified according to necessity and proportionality. But the political impact of the reform goes far beyond Spain’s borders.

For Morocco, the initiative is a chance to finally access information on the 1975 Green March and Spain’s sudden departure from the territory it had governed as a province. 

Those events, which led to Morocco taking control of the Moroccan Sahara, remain clouded by unanswered questions: How did Spanish authorities respond to the mass march of Moroccan civilians into the region? Were there behind-the-scenes deals between Madrid and Rabat? What role did the Spanish military and King Juan Carlos play as Franco’s dictatorship neared its end?

Until now, such questions have been left to memoirs and speculation. The current secrets law, passed seven years before the Green March, has kept most official records under lock and key.

For Morocco, unlocking those files could reinforce its long-term strategy to cement sovereignty claims over its Sahara. 

Morocco has scored major diplomatic victories in recent years, including U.S. recognition of its claims and public support from Spain and France.

Access to historical Spanish documents, Moroccan outlets argue, could add another layer of legitimacy to Rabat’s position.

The Spanish bill still needs to clear parliament before becoming law. But if passed, it would not only modernize Spain’s approach to secrecy,it could also reopen old wounds, both in Madrid and across the Strait of Gibraltar.