Since 30 January, the Spanish political media has been occupied with the debate on the amnesty law. Junts, the party of fugitive Carles Puigdemont, voted against the amnesty law, decrying it as insufficient, and causing the socialist party’s first defeat in parliament. It was both a humiliation and an unmistakable sign of just who controls the future of Pedro Sánchez’s government. Just four days earlier, VOX held an extraordinary general assembly in Madrid. The meeting was all the more important given that VOX is the most forceful opposition to Sánchez’s government and his pacts with the separatists, while the Popular Party vacillates, demonstrating against Sánchez one day and making a pact with him the next.
At the general assembly, there were no surprises, with Santiago Abascal, the only candidate, re-elected as president of VOX for the next four years. The proposal to expand the National Executive Committee—the party’s leadership—from 5 to 17 members, was also approved. Veterans such as Javier Ortega Smith, Jorge Buxadé, and Ignacio Garriga, who remains the sole vice-president, are joined by new faces such as Pepa Millán, spokesman in Congress, and José María Figaredo. There is also a clear commitment to VOX leaders who are part of regional governments in coalition with the PP, and the new leadership incorporates the vice-presidents of Aragón, Alejandro Nolasco; Castilla y León, Juan García-Gallardo; Murcia, José Ángel Antelo; and the Valencian Community, Vicente Barrero. The vice-presidents pointed out all that is being achieved in the regional governments and why VOX makes a difference: “We are the only party that does not come to appease, we come to fight,” said Barrero.
International allies were also present, along with video messages from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Argentinian President Javier Milei. Meloni encouraged Abascal to “relaunch VOX in the face of the next European elections, to finally give the EU the change of direction that we have been waiting for a long time.” Milei exhorted the attendees “not to give up and to keep fighting, because we are few, but good—those who fight for life, liberty, and property.”
Santiago Abascal appealed for unity and for people not to “give up,” highlighting what makes VOX unique, which is nothing less than the defending the causes that concern millions of Spaniards, such as national unity, the defence of the history of Spain, the equality of Spaniards before the law, strong borders in the face of massive and illegal immigration, and the freedom of parents in the face of gender indoctrination and LGBT lobbies. Abascal affirmed that VOX “is going to continue here” because the project is “extremely necessary for Spain,” and he set out the next challenges for the party: the Galician elections, on 18 February, followed by the European elections in June.
Galicia is the main fiefdom of the Partido Popular—it has governed the region since 1981—and where Núñez Feijóo has served as president from 2009 to 2020 (when he left the presidency to lead the PP), always obtaining absolute majorities. VOX has so far failed to enter the regional parliament; but, for the first time, polls indicate that it could do so. This has not gone down well with the PP, which has even asked VOX not to stand in the elections. For its part, Galician television has prevented the participation of VOX in the electoral debate on 5 February. However, both Sumar and Podemos were invited, despite the fact that they do not have parliamentary representation. The entry of VOX, regardless of whether or not its seats were necessary to form the Galician government, would be an important victory for Abascal’s party and would be a warning for Núñez Feijóo and the leadership of the Popular Party.
The polls for the June elections predict an increase in VOX’s presence in the European Parliament, from 4 to 9 MEPs, and remaining the third-largest political force behind the PSOE and the PP, the latter of which is predicted to go from 13 to 25 seats. The trend in Europe suggests a strong growth of pro-sovereignty and conservative parties, and VOX could benefit from that. The question here is not whether VOX will improve, but by how much.
Future electoral contests are crucial for VOX to regain momentum and once again become the “only party that is growing.” Despite the undisputed leadership of Santiago Abascal, some of VOX’s best-known faces have left the scene for various reasons, and that has taken a toll. Creating new and inspiring leaders is hard work and takes time; and, in the current maelstrom of Spanish politics, time is a scarce commodity. VOX’s main virtue has been the enthusiasm it has managed to generate in millions of Spaniards who felt politically orphaned., But enthusiasm, like that shown by the public attending the assembly, needs those who can channel it into political success. Bringing millions of Spaniards out of abstention, or recovering lost votes, is only possible if their enthusiasm is channeled.
The other necessary factor is unity, which is something Abascal also pointed out during the assembly. However, two days later, an internal crisis erupted in the Balearic Islands. In the May elections, VOX won eight regional deputies and, although it did not form part of the Balearic government, it signed an agreement with the PP to allow the Popular Party to govern from outside. The result of this agreement was the approval of the PP’s budget in exchange for a plan for the free choice of language—guaranteeing that students can study in Spanish—and the end of subsidies to trade unions and employers’ associations. During the summer, one of the deputies left the party and joined the non-subscribed group. And then, on 29 January, five deputies rebelled and expelled the two others who are backed by the national leadership. This situation demonstrates how all of the good work that has been done can be so easily ruined by internal discord.
VOX is necessary, but necessity is no guarantee of success. Recovering enthusiasm and strengthening internal organisation are the biggest challenges that VOX faces. Only after those goals are achieved will the best electoral results follow.
The Challenges Facing VOX
Since 30 January, the Spanish political media has been occupied with the debate on the amnesty law. Junts, the party of fugitive Carles Puigdemont, voted against the amnesty law, decrying it as insufficient, and causing the socialist party’s first defeat in parliament. It was both a humiliation and an unmistakable sign of just who controls the future of Pedro Sánchez’s government. Just four days earlier, VOX held an extraordinary general assembly in Madrid. The meeting was all the more important given that VOX is the most forceful opposition to Sánchez’s government and his pacts with the separatists, while the Popular Party vacillates, demonstrating against Sánchez one day and making a pact with him the next.
At the general assembly, there were no surprises, with Santiago Abascal, the only candidate, re-elected as president of VOX for the next four years. The proposal to expand the National Executive Committee—the party’s leadership—from 5 to 17 members, was also approved. Veterans such as Javier Ortega Smith, Jorge Buxadé, and Ignacio Garriga, who remains the sole vice-president, are joined by new faces such as Pepa Millán, spokesman in Congress, and José María Figaredo. There is also a clear commitment to VOX leaders who are part of regional governments in coalition with the PP, and the new leadership incorporates the vice-presidents of Aragón, Alejandro Nolasco; Castilla y León, Juan García-Gallardo; Murcia, José Ángel Antelo; and the Valencian Community, Vicente Barrero. The vice-presidents pointed out all that is being achieved in the regional governments and why VOX makes a difference: “We are the only party that does not come to appease, we come to fight,” said Barrero.
International allies were also present, along with video messages from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Argentinian President Javier Milei. Meloni encouraged Abascal to “relaunch VOX in the face of the next European elections, to finally give the EU the change of direction that we have been waiting for a long time.” Milei exhorted the attendees “not to give up and to keep fighting, because we are few, but good—those who fight for life, liberty, and property.”
Santiago Abascal appealed for unity and for people not to “give up,” highlighting what makes VOX unique, which is nothing less than the defending the causes that concern millions of Spaniards, such as national unity, the defence of the history of Spain, the equality of Spaniards before the law, strong borders in the face of massive and illegal immigration, and the freedom of parents in the face of gender indoctrination and LGBT lobbies. Abascal affirmed that VOX “is going to continue here” because the project is “extremely necessary for Spain,” and he set out the next challenges for the party: the Galician elections, on 18 February, followed by the European elections in June.
Galicia is the main fiefdom of the Partido Popular—it has governed the region since 1981—and where Núñez Feijóo has served as president from 2009 to 2020 (when he left the presidency to lead the PP), always obtaining absolute majorities. VOX has so far failed to enter the regional parliament; but, for the first time, polls indicate that it could do so. This has not gone down well with the PP, which has even asked VOX not to stand in the elections. For its part, Galician television has prevented the participation of VOX in the electoral debate on 5 February. However, both Sumar and Podemos were invited, despite the fact that they do not have parliamentary representation. The entry of VOX, regardless of whether or not its seats were necessary to form the Galician government, would be an important victory for Abascal’s party and would be a warning for Núñez Feijóo and the leadership of the Popular Party.
The polls for the June elections predict an increase in VOX’s presence in the European Parliament, from 4 to 9 MEPs, and remaining the third-largest political force behind the PSOE and the PP, the latter of which is predicted to go from 13 to 25 seats. The trend in Europe suggests a strong growth of pro-sovereignty and conservative parties, and VOX could benefit from that. The question here is not whether VOX will improve, but by how much.
Future electoral contests are crucial for VOX to regain momentum and once again become the “only party that is growing.” Despite the undisputed leadership of Santiago Abascal, some of VOX’s best-known faces have left the scene for various reasons, and that has taken a toll. Creating new and inspiring leaders is hard work and takes time; and, in the current maelstrom of Spanish politics, time is a scarce commodity. VOX’s main virtue has been the enthusiasm it has managed to generate in millions of Spaniards who felt politically orphaned., But enthusiasm, like that shown by the public attending the assembly, needs those who can channel it into political success. Bringing millions of Spaniards out of abstention, or recovering lost votes, is only possible if their enthusiasm is channeled.
The other necessary factor is unity, which is something Abascal also pointed out during the assembly. However, two days later, an internal crisis erupted in the Balearic Islands. In the May elections, VOX won eight regional deputies and, although it did not form part of the Balearic government, it signed an agreement with the PP to allow the Popular Party to govern from outside. The result of this agreement was the approval of the PP’s budget in exchange for a plan for the free choice of language—guaranteeing that students can study in Spanish—and the end of subsidies to trade unions and employers’ associations. During the summer, one of the deputies left the party and joined the non-subscribed group. And then, on 29 January, five deputies rebelled and expelled the two others who are backed by the national leadership. This situation demonstrates how all of the good work that has been done can be so easily ruined by internal discord.
VOX is necessary, but necessity is no guarantee of success. Recovering enthusiasm and strengthening internal organisation are the biggest challenges that VOX faces. Only after those goals are achieved will the best electoral results follow.
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