It looks as if the right-wing populist wave surging through Europe has arrived in
Spain. The country has not had right-wing populist party representation in Parliament since the death of the far-right dictator General Francisco Franco. But following an intensifying migration crisis and the Catalonia’s failed attempt at declaring independence from the country, the nationalist party Vox is quickly growing in strength.
Polls predict that the VOX party, which wants a tougher immigration policy and a less centralized EU, will win its first parliamentary seats in the European elections next spring.
In a recent interview, the party leader Santiago Abascal revealed that the official number of party members has increased from 3000 to 13 000 just in the last year. He also confirmed that the party’s strategy to grow has been inspired by the electoral success of Lega and its party leader, the Italian Minister of Interior Matteo Salvini. Abascal stressed that both parties are determined to send out a message about illegal immigration not being acceptable.
A recent poll by Metroscopia put the party at 5.1 percent, 20 times the votes Vox obtained in the 2016 election. Support for the party has skyrocketed following the attempt at secession in Catalonia, prompting a nationalist surge against autonomous regions.
In a show of strength, 10,000 supporters turned up last month at a rally in Madrid, launching the party manifesto.
The party is also expected to win its first seats in the Spanish parliament in the 2020 elections.