Spain’s far-right party Vox has swept its way into the Andalusian regional parliament on a national platform that includes no specific plans for the region.
Vox is opposed to the country’s highly decentralized system granting devolved powers to the regions. It also questions the the electoral system, which ironically, is the one that has just given it 400,000 votes and 12 seats in the regional legislature.
Vox has a populist 100-point programme, which includes calls for an “insurmountable” wall along the borders of the Spanish exclave cities of Ceuta and Melilla. What is more, the party’s Andalusian candidate, Francisco Serrano, aims to begin the “reconquest” of Spain, alluding to the Reconquista period when Christian kingdoms reclaimed Muslim-held territory across the Iberian Peninsula.
As reported by Spain’s daily El País, point 6 of the programme clearly states as a goal: “Transforming the Estado autonómico into a state with a single set of laws that will promote equality and solidarity instead of privilege and division. One single government and one single parliament for all of Spain. As a preliminary step, [we want] the immediate devolution of powers over education, health, security and justice, and to curtail regional legislative power as much as possible.”
Another one of Vox’s goals is “repealing the gender violence law and any other law that discriminates against one of the sexes, and replace it with a family violence law that will afford the same protection to the elderly, men, women and children who suffer from abuse. Eliminating subsidized radical feminist groups, and effectively prosecuting phony complaints. Protecting minors during divorce proceedings.” Vox also wants to create a Family Ministry and introduce “an organic law protecting the natural family, which shall be recognised as an institution that came before the State.”
According to El País, the party also wants to “control immigration flows depending on the needs of our national economy and of the new arrivals’ ability to integrate into Spanish society and accept our values. There will be country quotas with favourable treatment for nationalities who share our language and who have significant cultural and friendship ties with Spain.” As for illegal immigrants, Vox wants to deport them all and to go after non-profit groups that help them get to Spain. If a migrant still manages to enter the country illegally, he or she will “be permanently ineligible for legal status, and thus ineligible for any form of state aid.”
Also, Vox does not want years of residency to be considered an acceptable cause for naturalisation.
