Vox
PresidentSantiago Abascal Conde
Secretary-GeneralJavier Ortega Smith-Molina
Founded17 December 2013
IdeologyRight-wing populism
Spanish nationalism
Social conservatism
Economic liberalism
Centralism
National conservatism
Soft Euroscepticism[1]
Anti-Islam[2]
Political positionRight-wing[3]
ReligionRoman Catholicism
European affiliationNone
ColoursGreen
Town councillors
22 / 67,611
Mayors in Spain
2 / 8,122
Website
www.voxespana.es

Vox (often stylized as VOX) is a right-wing political party in Spain founded on 13 December 2013 by former members of the People's Party (PP). It proposes the criminalization of abortion and centralization of the Spanish state.

History edit

It was founded on 17 December 2013,[4] and publicly launched at a press conference in Madrid on 16 January 2014.[5][6] The reasons for this schism seem to be the way the incumbent PP government dealt with the issue of the violence of separatist group ETA, the fiscal policy of the PP and the desire for a more centralized government in contrast to the current, quasi-federal political system ("State of Autonomies") instituted in 1978. Vox opposes Basque and Catalan separatism in general.[6] VOX have labelled themselves as a right-wing and Christian democratic party. The first provisional chairman was the philosopher José Luis González Quirós (provisional until the party's internal election in late 2014). Other members are Santiago Abascal, Iván Espinosa de los Monteros and José Antonio Ortega Lara (well known for having been kidnapped by ETA for more than a year).

Vox ran for the first time in the 2014 European elections but narrowly failed to win a seat in the European Parliament,[7] in part due to the head of the electoral list, Alejo Vidal-Quadras a former PP MEP who has since left the party.

Starting with a focus in economically liberal stances and recentralization proposals, the focus of their message shifted towards stances compatible with the european right-wing populism,[8] endorsing islamophobic and anti-immigration discourses as well as criticism of multiculturalism.[8]

In September 2014 the party elected Santiago Abascal, one of the founders, as new president, and Iván Espinosa de los Monteros, also a founder, as secretary general. Eleven other members of the Comité Ejecutivo Nacional were elected, most without previous political activities as they have a background of business people and scholars.

 
Results of Vox (2014 European elections in Spain)

Electoral performance edit

Cortes Generales edit

Election Popular vote Seats Leader Outcome
Votes % # Congress Senate
2015 58,114 0.2 #15
0 / 350
0 / 208
Santiago Abascal New election
2016 47,182 0.2 #13
0 / 350
0 / 208
PP minority

European Parliament edit

Election Popular vote Seats Candidate
Votes % #
2014 246,833 1.6 #11
0 / 54
Alejo Vidal-Quadras

References edit

  1. ^ Cádiz, Covadonga y Bruselas, Libertad Digital
  2. ^ Los musulmanes de España entre dos fuegos: el yihadismo y la extrema derecha xenófoba, El Confidencial
  3. ^ Luppicini & Baarda 2017, p. 208«He continued the jibing, announcing that several members of 'Popular Party' will be integrated back into political life through the new right wing Christian 'Popular Party', a breakaway party 'VOX' ('Voice') and the anti-separatist UPyD»
  4. ^ "VOX es un partido político con personalidad jurídica propia e inscrito en el Registro de partidos políticos del Ministerio del Interior el día 17 Diciembre de 2013" - VOX
  5. ^ "Nace Vox, el partido político de Santiago Abascal y Ortega Lara". Libertad Digital. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  6. ^ a b http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/us-spain-politics-idUSBREA0F1HM20140116
  7. ^ Tristeza y decepción en Vox tras los resultados de las Elecciones Europeas in libertaddigital.com (in Spanish)
  8. ^ a b Casals, Xavier (21 April 2015). "Vox y su campaña contra la inmigración masiva". ElManifiesto.com.

Bibliography edit