Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain’s far-right Vox party, campaigned in Ávila on Thursday, October 29, pressing a hardline political message just a month ahead of the country’s snap general election scheduled for November 29. Speaking west of Madrid, Abascal repeatedly denounced what he termed a permanent migratory invasion, blaming the government led by Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for degrading public services, worsening security, and fueling a housing crisis.
The hardline party’s decision to maintain its schedule drew immediate attention following the railway disaster in Urda, Toledo, which claimed 69 lives. While national leaders declared three days of official mourning, Vox stood alone among major political groups by refusing to suspend its campaign rallies. Rather than pausing public events, the formation leveraged the tragedy to escalate its attacks on the executive branch, expressing what it described as public rage and exasperation directed at the administration.
Despite the controversy surrounding its continued campaigning in the wake of the Urda derailment, Vox has not shifted its core platform. The party continues to center its national strategy on three primary pillars: remigration, deregulation, and national priority.
This uncompromising stance coincides with a significant upward trajectory in voter support. Currently established as Spain’s third-largest political force, Vox is polling at nearly 18 percent of voter intentions, marking a clear advance from the 12.4 percent it secured in the July 2023 legislative elections. Projections indicate the party could capture roughly 60 seats in the upcoming parliamentary breakdown, surpassing its previous high-water mark of 52 deputies achieved in 2019.
