Spain’s far-right party Vox was celebrating its first major victory yesterday. The third most voted party at the last general election, joined forces with the country’s traditional centre right Partido Popular to form a coalition government in Castilla y León.
Vox, whose proposals range from deporting migrants who enter the country irregularly to suspending gender violence laws or banning school programmes on sexual and gender diversity, has in recent years gained popularity.
But until yesterday Vox had never been admitted into leading regional positions. According to the parties, Vox party members will also take the speaker position in the Castilla y León assembly and at least three regional ministerial positions. Critics say those positions will become a platform to amplify the nationalist party’s “hate speech” and allow it to significantly influence policy.
There was obvious condemnation from the Socialist party and its government coalition members.
I don’t think that was because of the political pact, that had been on the cards for the past few weeks, it was probably more out of concern about how the PP and Vox may go about their political business in the future and what a centre to far-right block will mean as a more united opposition.
The PP not only has a new leader, it also appears to have a new political running mate.