Vox Election Manifesto Targets Gibraltar Ahead of Nov. 29 Vote
Vox's manifesto for the Nov. 29 election promises pressure to restore Spanish sovereignty over Gibraltar. See where the PP stands and why it matters.
Vox, Spain’s far-right party, has put Gibraltar into its manifesto for the general election on Nov. 29. The document promises to “recover Spanish sovereignty over the Rock of Gibraltar,” The Local Spain reports.
Polls cited by the outlet point to a win for the center-right Partido Popular (PP) without an overall majority. That would leave the PP likely to look for a coalition with Vox.
What the manifesto says about Gibraltar
The Gibraltar commitments sit in the section titled Seguridad y Defensa (Security and Defense). Point 93 promises all necessary international pressure to restore Spanish sovereignty over the territory. It also calls for dismantling piracy, drug trafficking, smuggling and money laundering networks that, in Vox’s words, start in the colony and affect Spain.
The party adds that it wants to regain control of Spanish waters in the area. It also lists an investment plan meant to restore prosperity to the Campo de Gibraltar, the Spanish district around the Rock.
The Local Spain notes that the image of Gibraltarians as pirates and of the Rock as a hub of international crime is an old stereotype on the Spanish right, especially the far right, where many people view the sovereignty dispute in nationalist terms. The outlet describes Vox’s position as the most maximalist in Spanish politics: full and immediate return of the territory to Spain.
Where the PP stands
The PP speaks less bluntly but is skeptical of British sovereignty over Gibraltar and of the recent UK-EU deal that settles the territory’s status after Brexit, according to The Local Spain. Its leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, whom the outlet calls the likely next prime minister, has already questioned that agreement, saying “the UK wins and Spain loses.”
Vox rejected the treaty in strong terms when it was announced. Its deputy José María Sánchez called it harmful to the interests of citizens of the Campo de Gibraltar, Andalusia, Spain and Europe.
What this means for the next government
The outlet says that Spanish political commentators expect Vox to ask for ministries in return for backing a PP government. Immigration and culture are the portfolios reportedly in play. The Local Spain says this could give the party an outsized, kingmaker role in Spanish politics and society.
On Gibraltar itself, the two parties would arrive in government with similar doubts about the post-Brexit deal but different tones. The outlet says the territory could therefore cause some diplomatic friction for a right-wing Spanish government, because the PP would have to reconcile its own cautious language with a coalition partner whose manifesto speaks of colonies, pressure and sovereignty.
For readers living in Spain, the Gibraltar section is one part of a long document. The Local Spain has also reported on what a Vox and PP government could mean for British residents regarding visas and integration, and on another opposition party’s call for tougher language and culture exams for Spanish citizenship.
Election date
Spaniards vote on Nov. 29. The manifesto is a statement of intent, and what ends up in a government program would depend on the result and on any coalition talks that follow.
Source: The Local Spain
