Main Edition
US
FR
May 29, 2023 - 12:30pm
In a curtain-raiser for the forthcoming general election, Spanish voters went to the polls yesterday in 12 of the country’s 17 regions. The country’s Right-wing parties were tipped to do well, but the actual outcome has exceeded expectations.
The most dramatic result was in Extremadura, a southern region which can be thought of as the ultimate in Spanish flyover country. Though twice the size of Wales, it has less than a third of the population. It is landlocked, drought-stricken and poor. Being dependent on state support, Extremadura has long been a socialist stronghold, but yesterday, for the first time since the restoration of democracy in Spain, Right-of-centre parties won a majority in the regional assembly.
This upset is making headlines in Spain — and is emblematic of the rise of the Right across the southern part of the country, which is the political equivalent of the Red Wall in Northern England.
There is much more going on here than a simple swing of the electoral pendulum. Thanks to multiple disruptions — the Eurozone crisis, the struggle for (and against) Catalan independence, and Covid — Spanish politics has been in flux for a decade. The rise of not one but three populist movements has meant that the establishment parties (the Socialists and conservative People’s Party) have struggled to form stable governments.
But the chaos is beginning to resolve itself. Especially significant are the divergent fortunes of the three upstart parties. On the Left, Podemos and its allies are now in marked decline. In the centre, Ciudadanos (“Citizens”) has been all but wiped out. However, the far-Right Vox is now firmly established as a key player. In most of yesterday’s regional elections, this hardline nationalist party gained in strength despite the advances made by its closest competitor, the centre-Right People’s Party (PP). Though the PP has made the biggest gains (mainly at the expense of Ciudadanos), it will probably have to rely on Vox to govern in several regions.
Without a sudden reversal in fortune, we can expect a similar outcome in the general election — which has just been called for the 23 July. This would mean the populist Right gaining a share of power in yet another EU country.
Join the discussion
Join like minded readers that support our journalism by becoming a paid subscriber
To join the discussion in the comments, become a paid subscriber.
Join like minded readers that support our journalism, read unlimited articles and enjoy other subscriber-only benefits.
SubscribeWhen I read reports of political developments in Europe and the UK, it seems to me that there is only a “far right,” not a “right.” Rather interesting, that. So, the political divisions are always presented as left, moderate and far right. The bias is obvious and seems to have crept unconsciously into most reporting whether intended or not. My plea: use language correctly! Don’t borrow the biases of your opponents by borrowing their language.
Amen to this. I hear the same (as an American) when I listen to even conservative international media refer to every American politician even moderately right of center as “far right”.
Indeed – e.g. don’t use terms like “gender critical” when you could say “biologically affirming”.
.
Never use the term “cis” as it reduces historical norms to the same level as manufactured genders.
.
Using their language makes you one of their “useful idiots” ….
Exactly! The woke agenda is greased by euphemism.
Exactly! The woke agenda is greased by euphemism.
Agreed.. and constant scary rattlings referencing fascism.. as if the left.. Marxists.. socialists.. .didn’t slaughter vastly more. Literally more than a hundred million. And in MODERN times.
And they’re at it in the west. I’m a liberal by the way and therefor have to vote conservative now as the far lesser evil.
Amen to this. I hear the same (as an American) when I listen to even conservative international media refer to every American politician even moderately right of center as “far right”.
Indeed – e.g. don’t use terms like “gender critical” when you could say “biologically affirming”.
.
Never use the term “cis” as it reduces historical norms to the same level as manufactured genders.
.
Using their language makes you one of their “useful idiots” ….
Agreed.. and constant scary rattlings referencing fascism.. as if the left.. Marxists.. socialists.. .didn’t slaughter vastly more. Literally more than a hundred million. And in MODERN times.
And they’re at it in the west. I’m a liberal by the way and therefor have to vote conservative now as the far lesser evil.
When I read reports of political developments in Europe and the UK, it seems to me that there is only a “far right,” not a “right.” Rather interesting, that. So, the political divisions are always presented as left, moderate and far right. The bias is obvious and seems to have crept unconsciously into most reporting whether intended or not. My plea: use language correctly! Don’t borrow the biases of your opponents by borrowing their language.
If you squint at the news through a different lens you could argue that the true political situation is not a ’tilt to the Right’ but a ’tilt away from the Left’.
The ’tilt away’ is more upsetting for the Left as their natural response will be to move themselves further Left… and this is exactly the wrong thing to do – but there are too many apparatchiks to willingly ease back on the scope of the Administrative State.
If you squint at the news through a different lens you could argue that the true political situation is not a ’tilt to the Right’ but a ’tilt away from the Left’.
The ’tilt away’ is more upsetting for the Left as their natural response will be to move themselves further Left… and this is exactly the wrong thing to do – but there are too many apparatchiks to willingly ease back on the scope of the Administrative State.
I beg to differ. The current social democrat/communist government has been dismantling the country and its relatively young democracy since they (since then proven to be) fraudulently assumed power. These elections are an understandable NO to neo-communistic, woke, terrorist friendly , and increasingly authoritarian policies the government has been implementing. I would suggest that Spain is finally ridding itself of the populists who were in power and can only hope that this resistance carries through to the generals. (I’ve lived in Spain for 40 years)
I beg to differ. The current social democrat/communist government has been dismantling the country and its relatively young democracy since they (since then proven to be) fraudulently assumed power. These elections are an understandable NO to neo-communistic, woke, terrorist friendly , and increasingly authoritarian policies the government has been implementing. I would suggest that Spain is finally ridding itself of the populists who were in power and can only hope that this resistance carries through to the generals. (I’ve lived in Spain for 40 years)
“With other parties of the far-Right coming ever closer to real political power in countries like Finland, Austria and even France, one has ask if there is no limit to the patience of the EU establishment. Perhaps there isn’t.” // Rather to the contrary, I believe, the discontent with the EU, its policies, the divorced state of politicians from the real.world problems of ordinary citizens is driving people to vote populist right wing parties. This can be clearly witnessed in Austria (where I’m from), where the FPÖ party drastically experienced a surge due to the authoritarian-like covid policies (one of the most stringent in the western world) where now people who have NEVER voted for this party nor thought they’d ever vote for it are now voting them as the only choice remaining against the “elites” of the left and centre-right parties. Add to the discontent over Covid and the many lies and misinfo propagated by the establishment parties, pharma and social media, people are more distrustful than ever which is only helped by the ongoing high inflation, freedom of speech infringments, over-regulation etc coming from the EU and governments.
It’s rather that the populus has exhibited vast amounts of patience with the political apparatus – at home and the EU – and is now so discontent that it’s turning out in troves to vote for these parties because political leaders today are so divorced from the lived reality of people and what they want that many feel like they do not have any other choice (than non-voting – which doesn’t really change anything)
Spot on – as you suggest above, I also suspect that “member states” may well find their domestic voters becoming increasingly reactionary in response to a continuing stream of EU elitist diktats – and power grabs.
It would be ironic if the non-EU countries in Europe end up being the least “populist”.
Spot on – as you suggest above, I also suspect that “member states” may well find their domestic voters becoming increasingly reactionary in response to a continuing stream of EU elitist diktats – and power grabs.
It would be ironic if the non-EU countries in Europe end up being the least “populist”.
“With other parties of the far-Right coming ever closer to real political power in countries like Finland, Austria and even France, one has ask if there is no limit to the patience of the EU establishment. Perhaps there isn’t.” // Rather to the contrary, I believe, the discontent with the EU, its policies, the divorced state of politicians from the real.world problems of ordinary citizens is driving people to vote populist right wing parties. This can be clearly witnessed in Austria (where I’m from), where the FPÖ party drastically experienced a surge due to the authoritarian-like covid policies (one of the most stringent in the western world) where now people who have NEVER voted for this party nor thought they’d ever vote for it are now voting them as the only choice remaining against the “elites” of the left and centre-right parties. Add to the discontent over Covid and the many lies and misinfo propagated by the establishment parties, pharma and social media, people are more distrustful than ever which is only helped by the ongoing high inflation, freedom of speech infringments, over-regulation etc coming from the EU and governments.
It’s rather that the populus has exhibited vast amounts of patience with the political apparatus – at home and the EU – and is now so discontent that it’s turning out in troves to vote for these parties because political leaders today are so divorced from the lived reality of people and what they want that many feel like they do not have any other choice (than non-voting – which doesn’t really change anything)
Back home in Blighty I notice that anyone speaking on behalf of the Labour party recently will always be plugging this message: “Thirteen years of this Tory government and just look at the state of the country”. In other words don’t think too much about the latest iteration of the socialist dream Sir Keir’s furtive Lefties hope to inflict on the country – just focus on the need for a change.
As for the ‘far’ right taking hold in Britain – even the Tories look more soft-left than right these days.
Soft left? They are National Socialist left!
What are you – a twelve year old?
What are you – a twelve year old?
Soft left? They are National Socialist left!
Back home in Blighty I notice that anyone speaking on behalf of the Labour party recently will always be plugging this message: “Thirteen years of this Tory government and just look at the state of the country”. In other words don’t think too much about the latest iteration of the socialist dream Sir Keir’s furtive Lefties hope to inflict on the country – just focus on the need for a change.
As for the ‘far’ right taking hold in Britain – even the Tories look more soft-left than right these days.
Why should the EU institutions care? It’s not as if voters have much influence on what the EU does.
Sadly true.
Sadly true.
Why should the EU institutions care? It’s not as if voters have much influence on what the EU does.
To those on the ‘far right’, those in the middle are extremists. To those in the middle, everyone is an extremist.
To those on the ‘far right’, those in the middle are extremists. To those in the middle, everyone is an extremist.
I’d suggest that one of the main consequences of their U.K. referendum loss is that a large subset of Remainers will never be able to view the EU negatively (or objectively) ever again.
It will also be interesting to see whether the “member states” of the EU project evolve in a similar political direction to the non-EU countries of Europe.
I’d suggest that one of the main consequences of their U.K. referendum loss is that a large subset of Remainers will never be able to view the EU negatively (or objectively) ever again.
It will also be interesting to see whether the “member states” of the EU project evolve in a similar political direction to the non-EU countries of Europe.
As a classical liberal who used to be able to vote liberal or left back when the left was still liberal, or human, I now see the left, faux “liberals” and in the US the Dems, to be the violent enemies of mankind that they are.
Sick psychos. Literally insane. What insanity actually means. As Dr Jerry Satinover reminds us in “Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth”, it is the culture and its thinkers who decide what the word “good” means. what mental health is.
We employ technicians, or medical “experts” to do our bidding, not to tell us about life and what we are to value.
If you are a “classical Liberal” you are now Conservative. Sorry about that. Just listen to US President John F. Kennedy’ speeches from 60+ years ago to realize that.
If you are a “classical Liberal” you are now Conservative. Sorry about that. Just listen to US President John F. Kennedy’ speeches from 60+ years ago to realize that.
As a classical liberal who used to be able to vote liberal or left back when the left was still liberal, or human, I now see the left, faux “liberals” and in the US the Dems, to be the violent enemies of mankind that they are.
Sick psychos. Literally insane. What insanity actually means. As Dr Jerry Satinover reminds us in “Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth”, it is the culture and its thinkers who decide what the word “good” means. what mental health is.
We employ technicians, or medical “experts” to do our bidding, not to tell us about life and what we are to value.