Spain is concerned about the political weight of the 900,000 Moroccans in the country

According to the Permanent Observatory of Immigration, Spain had 896,076 Moroccan residents in 2024, with more than 226,000 in Catalonia alone. This demographic trend raises questions about the long-term integration of a community whose numerical weight continues to grow in all strata of society, worries La Regiòn.

Moroccan politicians, notably Enaam Mayara, are openly encouraging this diaspora to get involved in local political life. A member of the leadership of the Istiqlal party, he urges dual nationals to become members of parliament in Spain in order to "defend the interests of their homeland whenever necessary", particularly on the issue of Ceuta and Melilla.

This strategy aims to form pressure groups within the Spanish political scene capable of modifying diplomatic positions in favor of the Kingdom. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, is also preparing a "qualitative transformation" of the management of the diaspora, whose cultural identity will now be preserved.

Currently, 394 educational centers in Spain provide the Program for the Teaching of the Arabic Language and Moroccan Culture (PLACM). Catalonia dominates with 125 centers, followed by Andalusia and Madrid. This system, fully financed by Rabat, nevertheless escapes any control or supervision by the Spanish educational authorities.

The teachers working in these establishments are civil servants appointed and paid by Morocco. Their mission, validated by the Moroccan embassy, is closely coordinated by the Hassan II Foundation. The role of the Spanish Ministry of Education is contractually limited to the simple provision of classrooms.