Report outlines expanded Moroccan Sahara autonomy plan with parliament, courts and finances

Morocco has presented a detailed, expanded version of its autonomy proposal for the disputed Moroccan Sahara, outlining a comprehensive legal, institutional and financial framework for the territory under Moroccan sovereignty, according to a report by Atalayar.

The 40-page draft was presented in Madrid by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and builds on Morocco’s 2007 autonomy initiative submitted to the United Nations, the report said.

The document was prepared by Taib Fassi Fihri, Omar Azziman and Fouad Ali El Himma under a mandate from King Mohammed VI, following the adoption of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2797, which describes autonomy as a serious and credible basis for a negotiated settlement.

According to Atalayar, the revised text transforms the earlier political proposal into a draft statute written article by article, setting out defined competences, constitutional safeguards and oversight mechanisms.

Under the plan, the Moroccan state would retain exclusive authority over defense, foreign affairs, currency, nationality and national symbols. The autonomous region would exercise legislative and regulatory powers in areas including urban planning, regional economic development, fisheries, health care, education, environmental protection and cultural promotion.

The proposal calls for a unicameral regional parliament combining members elected by direct universal suffrage with representatives designated by recognized Sahrawi tribes. Mandatory quotas would ensure female representation. Elected representatives from the region would also hold seats in Morocco’s national parliament.

The head of the regional executive would be formally appointed by the king, a provision that Atalayar said remains a key point of disagreement with the Polisario Front, which favors direct election. The executive could be dismissed through a constructive vote of no confidence.

The draft also establishes a regional judicial system, including courts of first instance and appeal and a superior regional court, while constitutional review would remain under national jurisdiction. A formal mechanism would be created to resolve disputes over competences between Rabat and the autonomous authorities.

Financial provisions include regional tax revenues, royalties from natural resources and a share of national income generated locally, alongside contributions to the state budget through a solidarity mechanism overseen by Morocco’s Court of Auditors. Foreign investment projects would require approval from both regional and central authorities.

The plan includes measures aimed at reconciliation, the return of populations from camps in Tindouf, and disarmament and reintegration programs, alongside a regulated amnesty that excludes international crimes.

According to the report, the autonomy statute would be submitted to a nationwide referendum and incorporated into Morocco’s Constitution under a dedicated section subject to strict amendment procedures. National symbols, including the flag, anthem and currency, would remain under exclusive state authority, and the proposal explicitly rules out any right to secession.

Atalayar said the draft, which has not yet been made public and remains under revision, draws partial inspiration from autonomy arrangements in Spain and Greenland while operating within Morocco’s unitary constitutional framework.