Far right surge in Spain

Vox leader Santiago Abascal

VSUPPORT FOR the Spanish far-right soared in Sunday’s parliamentary election amid fears that a party whose leader speaks of a “reconquest” had taken a step closer to power.

Santiago Absacal’s Vox party recorded a million more votes and twice as many seats as the last election in April, making it the third-largest faction in Spain’s parliament.

One political rival said the result had created one of Europe’s strongest farright parties. Vox now has 52 seats in parliament, against 24 in April.

“Eleven months ago we had no representation in any government institution. Today we are the third political force in Spain,” Mr Abascal told his supporters at a victory rally on Sunday night. “We have told the left that they have no moral superiority.”

Neither left nor right-wing parties won enough seats for a majority

The Socialist PSOE party, which won the most seats, this week reached an agreement with the left-wing Podemos to form a government, but the two will still need the support of other smaller factions.

Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias said the election had served only to “strengthen the right and turn the far right into one of the strongest in Europe.”

Mr Abascal has frequently made references to fascist ideology and expressed sympathy with Spain’s former dictator Francisco Franco during his campaigns.

He has promised to outlaw separatist movements including parties in the northeastern Catalonia region and to crack down on immigration, particularly among Muslims, speaking of a — a nod to the 15th century Spanish Inquisition.