Can people naturalised under the Grandchildren’s Law take part in Spanish elections?

According to Tenerife Weekly, the Supreme Court confirmed a provisional suspension of voting rights for these people. The nationality option does not automatically confer voting rights. Participation in elections is additionally subject to the general rules of Spanish electoral law and registration on the electoral roll.

Where can I find official information on voting rights?

Official information can be found in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) and the Boletín Oficial de Canarias (BOC). The official Canary Islands election website explains CERA registration for Canary Islanders permanently living abroad. An official election notice for 2026 is not apparent in the available sources.

CANARY ISLANDS · LAW

Grandchildren’s Law: vote suspended for 163,020, report says

Spain’s Supreme Court has confirmed the suspension of voting rights for people who obtained Spanish nationality through the Grandchildren’s Law, according to a media report. A reported 163,020 Spaniards registered abroad are affected. The Administrative Chamber of the Tribunal Supremo ruled on Monday 12 October; several media outlets are reporting on the decision.

13 October 2026 · By Julia Roca Bethencourt · 7 min.

File photo: Presentación de Iniciativa de Ley Federal de Zonas Económicas Especiales — Photo: Presidencia de la República Mexicana, CC BY 2.0.

The key facts

According to Tenerife Weekly, the Supreme Court confirmed the suspension of voting rights for people naturalised under the Grandchildren’s Law. (Tenerife Weekly)
163,020 people were registered abroad as of 1 August and are affected, according to the report. (Tenerife Weekly)
The Grandchildren’s Law is based on the eighth additional provision of Law 20/2022 on Democratic Memory. (BOE)
The Administrative Chamber of the Tribunal Supremo ruled on Monday 12 October; several media outlets are reporting on the decision. (Research)

What does this mean for European residents in the Canary Islands?

For European residents who acquired Spanish nationality through the Grandchildren’s Law, the situation remains unclear. According to Tenerife Weekly, the Supreme Court confirmed a provisional suspension of voting rights on 12 October 2026. A reported 163,020 people registered abroad as of 1 August are affected.

Only those who can prove that their parents or grandparents went into exile for political, ideological or sexual reasons may vote, according to the report. Those who relied on the Ministry of Justice guidelines of 2022, which presumed exile status for all Spaniards who left the country between 1936 and 1955, are not included, according to the report.

The Administrative Chamber of the Tribunal Supremo ruled on Monday 12 October; several media outlets are reporting on the decision. The available primary sources do not substantiate the figures cited. Those affected should therefore follow publications in the BOE and BOC.

What is the legal basis of the Grandchildren’s Law?

The so-called Grandchildren’s rule is based on the eighth additional provision of Law 20/2022 of 19 October on Democratic Memory. It gives people born abroad the option of Spanish nationality if a parent or grandparent was originally a Spanish national.

The requirement is that this person went into exile as a result of political, ideological or religious persecution, or because of sexual orientation or identity, and lost or renounced their nationality. Also covered are children born abroad to Spanish women who lost their nationality through marriage to a foreigner before the 1978 Constitution came into force.

How many Canary Islanders are registered abroad?

Only Tenerife Weekly reports an increase in Canary Island voters living abroad. These figures cannot currently be independently verified.

Official figures from the INE, ISTAC or the CERA on this increase are not available in the accessible primary sources. The figures cited come exclusively from the Tenerife Weekly report and cannot currently be independently verified.

What deadlines apply for elections?

The official Canary Islands election website explains in general terms: Canary Islanders permanently living abroad need to be registered with the CERA to vote. People temporarily living abroad must register as non-residents in the consular registration system.

For the regional election of 28 May 2023 described there, postal vote applications ran from 4 April to 18 May. CERA voters could vote by post or at an overseas representation from 24 to 26 May. These deadlines must not be applied to a 2026 election.

A Spain-wide parliamentary election will take place on 29 November 2026, not a Canary Islands regional election. The Boletín Oficial de Canarias only refers to issues up to No. 196 of 30 September 2026.

What are politicians saying about the decision?

The reactions of Pedro Sánchez, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, Vox, Iustitia Europa and José Ramón Arvelo come exclusively from the Tenerife Weekly report and cannot currently be independently verified.

What remains open?

A Spain-wide parliamentary election will take place on 29 November 2026, not a Canary Islands regional election. Which groups of people are entitled to vote is also unclear. The Administrative Chamber of the Tribunal Supremo ruled on Monday 12 October; several media outlets are reporting on the decision.

According to Tenerife Weekly, the central government admitted in September that the electoral census office does not record why people register abroad. This reportedly makes it difficult to identify those affected.

Reliable information would require a published decision by the Tribunal Supremo or the TSJC, an official election notice in the BOE or BOC, and current data from the INE, ISTAC or the CERA.

What this figure does not say:

The figure of 163,020 affected people comes exclusively from the Tenerife Weekly report. Official sources such as the INE, ISTAC or the CERA do not show this figure in the available results. According to the report, the central government admitted that the electoral census office does not record why people register abroad.

The figure therefore cannot be broken down by island, country or reason for registration. Without primary sources, it remains unclear how many of those affected actually have a connection to the Canary Islands.

FAQ

Who is affected by the lack of voting rights under the Grandchildren’s Law?: According to Tenerife Weekly, 163,020 Spaniards registered abroad who obtained nationality through the Grandchildren’s Law are affected. Only those who can prove that their parents or grandparents went into exile for political, ideological or sexual reasons may vote, according to the report. The Administrative Chamber of the Tribunal Supremo ruled on Monday 12 October; several media outlets are reporting on the decision.
What is the Grandchildren’s Law in Spain?: The Grandchildren’s Law is based on the eighth additional provision of Law 20/2022 on Democratic Memory. It gives people born abroad the option of Spanish nationality if a parent or grandparent was originally a Spanish national and went into exile.
Can people naturalised under the Grandchildren’s Law take part in Spanish elections?: According to Tenerife Weekly, the Supreme Court confirmed a provisional suspension of voting rights for these people. The nationality option does not automatically confer voting rights. Participation in elections is additionally subject to the general rules of Spanish electoral law and registration on the electoral roll.
How many Canary Islanders live abroad and are registered as voters?: Only Tenerife Weekly reports an increase in Canary Island voters living abroad. These figures cannot currently be independently verified. Official figures from the INE, ISTAC or the CERA are not available in the accessible primary sources.
What deadlines apply for postal voting abroad?: For the regional election of 28 May 2023, postal vote applications ran from 4 April to 18 May. CERA voters could vote by post or at an overseas representation from 24 to 26 May. These deadlines must not be applied to a 2026 election.
Where can I find official information on voting rights?: Official information can be found in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) and the Boletín Oficial de Canarias (BOC). The official Canary Islands election website explains CERA registration for Canary Islanders permanently living abroad. An official election notice for 2026 is not apparent in the available sources.

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