This archive report was first published on 14 November 2019.
Spain's Far-Right Party Vox Rises to Prominence ¶
On November 10, 2019, Vox, a far-right party in Spain, won 3.6 million votes in the country's general election, a significant increase from the 1 million votes they received in April. This victory marked a major milestone for the party, which had previously held no parliamentary seats but now has 52.
At their flag-waving rallies, Vox has proclaimed a monopoly on nationhood, excluding those who do not meet certain conditions of blood, birth, race, or ideology. This rhetoric has been met with concern from Spanish progressives, who fear the party's xenophobic, homophobic, and sexist views.
Despite the party's alarming policies, including a plan to drastically reduce taxes for the richest and large corporations, few have discussed their policy proposals. Instead, the debate has centered on engaging in legitimate cultural and social issues, while ignoring the class divisions that exist in Spain.
According to an article by Martín Caparrós, an Argentine author and journalist residing in Madrid, Vox's rise to power is a result of the discrediting of politics in Spain. The party's leader, Santiago Abascal, has been able to win over voters in working-class areas, including 20 percent of the vote in Madrid's left-leaning red belt.
As Vox continues to grow, it is essential to address the underlying issues that have led to its rise. Only a serious, profound recasting of the mechanisms of democracy and the recovery of social justice can stop the spread of far-right ideologies.
