▁advoc ated ▁anti - colon ial ▁policies , ▁and ▁press ured ▁the ▁Republican ▁government ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁Spanish ▁Mor oc co , ▁int ending ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁re bell ion ▁at ▁Franco ' s ▁back ▁and ▁cause ▁dis aff ection ▁among ▁his ▁Mor oc can ▁troops . ▁The ▁government ▁— ▁then ▁led ▁by ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Social ist ▁Work ers ' ▁Party ▁( P SO E ) ▁— ▁rejected ▁that ▁course ▁of ▁action ▁as ▁it ▁would ▁have ▁likely ▁resulted ▁in ▁conflict ▁with ▁France , ▁the ▁colonial ▁r uler ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁portion ▁of ▁Mor oc co . ▁ ▁Because ▁the ▁locally ▁rec ru ited ▁Muslim ▁regular es ▁had ▁been ▁among ▁Franco ' s ▁most ▁effective ▁troops , ▁the ▁prote ctor ate ▁enjoyed ▁more ▁political ▁freedom ▁and ▁aut onomy ▁than ▁Franco ist ▁Spain - pro per ▁after ▁Franco ' s ▁victory . ▁The ▁area ▁held ▁compet ing ▁political ▁parties ▁ ▁and ▁a ▁Mor oc can ▁national ist ▁press , ▁which ▁often ▁critic ized ▁the ▁Spanish ▁government . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁Spanish ▁troops ▁provision ally ▁occupied ▁Tang ier ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁on ▁the ▁pre text ▁that ▁an ▁Italian ▁invasion ▁was ▁im min ent . ▁ ▁Ret ro cess ion ▁to ▁Mor oc co ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁when ▁France ▁ended ▁its ▁prote ctor ate ▁over ▁Mor oc co , ▁Spain ▁dis cont in ued ▁the ▁prote ctor ate ▁and ▁retro ced ed ▁the ▁territory ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁independent ▁kingdom , ▁while ▁retain ing ▁the ▁pla zas