Seguridad e intereses foráneos como condicionantes neorrealistas de la evolución y resolución del conflicto del Sahara Occidental (1973-2025)

The Western Sahara conflict, ongoing for decades, must be understood within an anarchic international environment where national interests and security prevail over legality and international law. Using a neorealist approach, the evolution and resolution of the conflict and how they have been conditioned by the strategic interests of key actors such as Morocco, Spain, France, and the United States are analyzed in this study. After decades of armed struggle, a stalled peace process, and the collapse of the ceasefire in 2020, the Polisario Front has failed to alter a status quo that favors Rabat, consolidated by the recognition of other countries and the effective use of military and diplomatic power. Through the process tracing methodology, the factors that have limited the Polisario Front capabilities are identified in this paper, while examining how the structure of the international system has supported Morocco’s position. The conclusion is that security and foreign interests are decisive in understanding this unresolved conflict.