Spain’s far-right VOX party, now parliament’s third-largest force, will launch its EU election manifesto, under the slogan “Europe Alive 24”, at its annual party conference on 18-19 May, party sources confirmed on Wednesday.

Euractiv’s partner EFE reported that VOX, which governs in several regions together with the right-wing Partido Popular (EPP) party, is launching a campaign to highlight the importance of the European Parliament elections while emphasizing national values.

The party will call for the restoration of the “sovereignty of European nations.”

VOX’s EU election manifesto, which uses the motto “Europe Alive 24”, is based mainly on defending the sovereignty of nations, workers’ rights in the primary sector (including agriculture), and protecting the bloc’s borders in response to recent immigration waves.

As for the party’s chances in the upcoming European Parliament elections in June, VOX sources said they were convinced the party would win more than the four seats it currently holds.

In the hope of achieving this, the party has opted for continuity, electing veteran EU lawmakers such as MEP Jorge Buxadé while also opting to bring new blood into the EU ring as current MEP Mazaly Aguilar will not be in the race this time.

According to VOX sources, the party had 66,000 members at the end of 2022, although other independent sources say the figure could be much higher.

Far-right rise

The far-right groups in the European Parliament are expected to make big gains in the upcoming EU elections and are likely to become the third force in the new EU Parliament after the European People’s Party (EPP) and the Socialist and Democratic Group (S&D), recent opinion polls show.

But VOX President Santiago Abascal seems to be suggesting that the polls may not be the absolute end-all, saying in a message published on Wednesday that “the future is not written,” criticising those who “have already decided to give up.”

The political event “Europe Alive 24” aims to be VOX’s “great political convention,” bringing together members, supporters, party leaders, councillors, regional vice-presidents, national and regional MPs and international guests, the party said on Wednesday.

On 18 May, several national and European personalities, both from VOX and from other political parties — whose names have not yet been revealed — will also take part in the conference.

Abascal’s appearance is scheduled for 19 May, along with several international leaders who will accompany the members of VOX’s candidate for the European elections, who will be in charge of presenting the party’s programme.

(Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.Euractiv.es)

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