2024-01-27 14:27:54
This Saturday, the Extraordinary General Assembly of Vox has proclaimed Santiago Abascal as president of the party for the fourth consecutive time in the ten years of the party’s life. No vote has been required to be held in the absence of competitors for the position.
In September 2014, the leader of Vox was elected president of the party for the first time after the defeat of businessman Ludovico López Cadé in a vote open to militancy. Two years later, he was re-elected, in March 2016. This time with great support from members, 98% of the votes. Again, in March 2020 he was re-elected just like now, when it was not necessary to vote as he had no opponent. Following this Saturday’s proclamation, he will remain in office until 2028.
Although the internal congress was scheduled for March 2024, Abascal decided to bring it forward to face a 2024 election with the organic remodeling already undertaken. Despite this, Abascal’s movement was interpreted in some critical sectors as a way to shield himself as president.
Only the name of the spokesperson at the Madrid City Council, Javier Ortega Smith, was heard as a possible rival for Abascal, although he ultimately did not take the step. In this way, the current leader of Vox was the only one who formally announced his candidacy and obtained the necessary endorsements. This is the reason why the party decided not to hold a vote.
new faces
The Extraordinary General Assembly has ratified Abascal’s proposal to remodel the National Executive Committee (CEN), the leadership of Vox. The current secretary general, Ignacio Garriga, remains the only vice president, while relegating as members: Ortega Smith, MEP Jorge Buxadé and deputy Reyes Romero.
The members go from 5 to 17. New faces are added to Ortega Smith, Buxadé and Romero. These are the spokesperson in Congress and the general secretary of the parliamentary group, Pepa Rodríguez de Millán and José María Figaredo, the vice presidents of Castilla y León; Juan García-Gallardo; Murcia, José Ángel Antelo; the Valencian Community, Vicente Barrero; and Aragón, Alejandro Nolasco. In addition, he has introduced the Vox spokesperson in the Murcia City Council, Luis Gestoso, and the president of the Valencian Cortes, Llanós Massó.
Abascal asks the membership “not to give up and not throw in the towel”
“I will fight for it until I run out of breath”
The leader of Vox has stressed this Saturday on the validity of the ideas and the importance of his project, while asking the membership “not to give up and not to throw in the towel”, all despite the “attacks”. Abascal has received a standing ovation in front of around 2,200 people and has been supported at all times by the new Vox leadership as well as other recognized faces of the party. He has shown Vox affiliates his gratitude for the “political commitment” to the “unity” of Spain and freedoms. “I will fight for it until I run out of breath, always at your service, wherever you want,” he said.
“We are not going to throw in the towel, this column is not being torn down, we are going to continue forward no matter what,” he commented, while trying to make it clear that Vox “is here and will continue here” because the project is “extreme necessity for Spain.”
The difference between Vox and other parties
Meanwhile, Santiago Abascal wanted to make clear the difference between Vox and other political projects, although he has not referred to any specifically, since only his party defends the position of “millions of Spaniards” against “impositions.” He has made reference to proposals such as the illegalization of pro-independence parties, opposition to the State of autonomies, immigration control, increased penalties for sexual offenders or the freedom of parents in the field of education.
Santiago Abascal has stressed throughout his speech that “only Vox defends the people”, that “there are no divisions in Vox, nor alternative candidates.”
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