Up to 1.5 million offspring of exiled Spaniards to seek nationality

Sep 29, 2008, 11:25 GMT

Madrid - Up to 1.5 million descendants of Spaniards who were exiled during the 1936-39 civil war or the subsequent dictatorship of General Francisco Franco are expected to seek Spanish nationality on the basis of a new law, the daily El Pais reported Monday.

Most will be Latin Americans interested in emigrating from countries facing economic difficulties, such as Cuba and Argentina, the daily said.

The possibility for the children or grandchildren of exiles to obtain Spanish nationality is based on the 2007 Law of Historic Memory, which seeks to redress the wrongs suffered by the leftist losers of the civil war.

The war was won by Franco, who continued clamping down on his opponents during his dictatorship, which lasted until his death in 1975.

The descendants of exiles will be able to apply for Spanish citizenship from December 29 over a period of two years, according to regulations which were expected to be approved in the coming weeks.

The law also provides for Spanish citizenship for members of the so-called International Brigades.

They were foreigners who joined the leftist republicans in their fight against Franco's right-wing nationalists in a prelude to the battle against fascism in World War II.

The foreign volunteers came from some half a dozen countries.

They numbered tens of thousands, but only about 1,000 are estimated to be still alive.