The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) wants to keep its distance from the new anti-abortion chief of the Valencia regional government (far-right Vox), elected with the votes of Partido Popular, an EPP member.
Llanos Massó, a member of the far-right VOX party (ECR) and known for her anti-feminism and staunch rejection of abortion, was elected on Monday as the new president of the Valencia regional parliament, following an agreement struck with the Partido Popular party (PP/EPP).
Massó is a controversial figure in Spanish politics, particularly for her repeated claims that schools define abortion “as just another method of contraception”.
Read more: Anti-abortion VOX member head of Valencia’s parliament
She also harshly criticised feminism and the “excessive tutelage of laws over women’s lives”, refused to support feminist movements, and criticised the fact that public money is given to “countless organisations (NGOs) that live off gender violence”.
“What matters is not what a president of parliament thinks, whatever party she belongs to, what matters is that she respects what is approved in that chamber,” an EPP spokesperson told EURACTIV.
Spain’s PP triumphed in recent regional elections, but in many regions, it will need the support of Vox to form a coalition government.
Known for its extreme positions against the EU and fundamental rights, Vox is expected to put the Spanish centre-right – especially the liberal faction – in a difficult position during this collaboration.
Also read: Meet far-right party VOX’s ‘patriotic’ vision for Spain
The PP-Vox partnership also whets the “patriotic front” appetite at the EU level.
From Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and France’s with Eric Zemmour and Marine Le Pen, the European “patriotic” camp quickly congratulated Vox and its President Santiago Abascal for the regional elections results.
Read more: Spain’s possible ‘Melonisation’ strengthens ‘patriots’ EU plans
(Max Griera, Sarantis Michalopoulos | EURACTIV.com)
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Source: euractiv.com
