Originally published 27/10/20 – Polis Analysis newsletter, “Daily Briefing“
On Wednesday last week, the far-right party in Spain, Vox, called a vote of no-confidence in the socialist coalition government. The party’s leader, Santiago Abascal, and his deputy, Ignacio Garriga, accused the government of promoting the rise of pro-independence parties, allowing the “Chinese Virus” to run rampant, and criminally mismanaging the country. The men claimed that the Prime Minister’s party, PSOE, was promoting terrorism in the Basque region, associating with malignant foreign powers, and deploying “undercover agents” to conspire in the downfall of “the monarchy and the rule of law.”
In his response, the Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez responded in kind, accusing Abascal of posing the real “danger” in his propagation of hatred and intolerance. Sanchez equated Vox’s anti-immigrant, nationalist agenda to treason: “You hate Spain as it is, because half of Spaniards are superfluous to you.”
The growing popularity of the far-right party is reminiscent of the fascism of the Francoist era. For years after Franco’s death, Spain resisted the politics of the far-right while similar ideologies were growing in other European countries.
However, partly in response to the growth of regional independence movements, Vox has made unprecedented gains. Last year’s general election saw them double their seats to become Spain’s third largest political party.
Abascal’s vote of no confidence is indicative of the extreme shift in political discourse in Spain. The far-right now pose the largest threat to the prevailing left-wing politics of the last four decades.
Why does this matter?
Vox had little hope of success in the no-confidence vote, as they hold 52 of 350 seats in parliament. Nevertheless, in calling the vote, the leaders of the ultranationalist party held the floor in parliament for two days, spotlighting issues such as immigration, regional autonomy, and the monarchy. The motion allowed Vox to steer the government’s attention away from the coronavirus pandemic, just as Spain reached a new record of 332.9 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The Vox leadership exploited the lack of time limits on debates in the chamber; Garriga and Abascal spoke for over 3 hours between them. The inevitable media attention was the driving force behind calling the no-confidence motion, as the party was given the platform to further its political agenda.
In a world presided over by increasingly populist leaders, Vox’s politics are no longer considered radical. Significantly, the second largest party in the Spanish parliament, Partido Popular (PP), has given its support to Vox over recent months. The traditionally centre-right party has formed coalitions in regions like Andalucia, incorporating some of the far-right party’s policies in exchange for political dominance. PP’s allegiances were put to the test in last week’s vote of no confidence, with Abascal calling on the party to rally against the government, and Sanchez imploring them not to lurch further to the right.
What happens next?
As expected, the vote of no-confidence failed to win support. The group only managed to secure the votes of its own deputies; 350 votes were cast, with 52 in favour. The biggest surprise of the debate was PP leader Pablo Casado’s rejection of Abascal and his party. After two years of making deals with the far-right group, the conservative Casado launched a scathing attack on the party and its leader. Abascal was reportedly confused by the rejection, which marked a turning point in the priorities of the PP.
What remains to be seen is whether last week’s spectacle in the Spanish parliament will have influenced popular opinion towards Vox and the far-right ideology it represents. It is certain that the PP will no longer be the ally it once was to Vox; yet, this neither guarantees the former’s support to the PSOE coalition government. The no-confidence debate revealed the deep polarisation of politics in Spain, which does not bode well for a country struggling to gain control of the pandemic.
Eloise Barry 