Scene from an Inquisition by Francisco Goya (1746-1828). Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Spain’s ruling Popular Party (PP) has submitted a draft law that could grant citizenship to descendants of Jews expelled from Spain during the Spanish Inquisition. The possibility of the bill was first announced last year by Spanish Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon. If the law is ratified, eligible Jews won’t have to relinquish their current nationalities to become naturalized Spanish citizens.

In April 2013, Portugal’s parliament ratified a similar measure granting citizenship to Jews whose ancestors were expelled from Portugal during the same period.

“The Popular Party recalls that Portugal recently passed a law that confers Portuguese nationality to descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews and the Spanish government must take an analogous measure,” the Spanish bill reads, according to the World Jewish Congress.