The president of Vox, Santiago Abascal, has called for this Friday a “mass mobilization” of the electorate ahead of the general elections of November 29, elections that he considers “existential” and “absolutely decisive” both for Spain and for Europe.
“What’s happening on the 29N isn’t something normal; they aren’t just any elections; they’re existential for Spain: we’re betting everything,” he proclaimed during the Vox campaign kickoff event in Madrid’s Plaza de Colón, a place with strong symbolism for the party, where it has already organized gatherings against the Government and against laws such as the Amnesty law, with thousands of attendees.
On this occasion, more than 2,000 people have gathered in the square, many of them with flags of Spain. Behind the lectern, the supporters positioned on the stage wore white T-shirts with the campaign slogan, “Common sense,” printed in green.
In his speech, Abascal warned that if they don’t “manage to get” the Government out of La Moncloa, which he described as a “plague,” “probably Spain will suffer too much, a great deal, to be able to recover.” “These are absolutely decisive elections for Spain and for Europe,” he reiterated.
For this reason, he insisted on asking for caution and urged people not to take anything for granted. “I want to ask you to fight our worst enemy: trust and the damned polls that say that this is done,” he said, referring to the majority of surveys that foresee a broad advantage for PP and Vox as possible partners in a future coalition Government. “Nothing is decided; anything can happen, and the lie, the crime and corruption can preside over Sánchez’s action” during the campaign.
COMMON SENSE, NOT IDEOLOGY
Abascal has repeatedly gone after the Executive, which he has described as “not democratic, illegitimate, lying, mafia-like, criminal and corrupt,” focusing a large part of his attacks on the head of the Government, “a guy who has his personal and family circle in the dock or in prison,” in reference to alleged corruption cases.
Likewise, he has reiterated that Sánchez is the “candidate of Morocco,” deepening his reproaches for, in his view, the lack of response to the “invasion” of Ceuta, and he has drawn a line by presenting himself as “the candidate of thousands of Spaniards.” “I think there’s a very big difference,” the leader of Vox emphasized.
Abascal has defended that Vox faces these elections under a banner which, as he has said, "is not ideological", but "much more unified": that of common sense, in line with its campaign slogan. He has explained that this message is based on national priority, deregulation and reducing bureaucracy, and "remigration".
"It is common sense to give priority to the nation, to demand an end to the overregulation that prevents us from competing in a very difficult world, to put an end to the fiscal siege against the middle classes that is choking our people, with crumbling and third-world public services, and enough already with migratory invasion, the repatriation of illegal immigrants and those who are legal but commit crimes or live off social assistance", he has summarized.
PRAYING WITH THE CARMELITE NUNS
On a personal level, Abascal has wanted to highlight the role of Spain's "praying rear guard" and has assured that it does not cause him "shame" to express his feelings, his beliefs and his faith. He has said that on Monday, when he recorded his interview on the program 'La Revuelta', he went to Cerro de los Ángeles (Getafe), the Convent of the Madres Carmelitas, to ask them to pray for Spain and for him.
He has also recalled his father, Santiago Abascal Escuza, and expressed his gratitude to his wife, Lidia Bedman. He has stated that "he is here" for his five children "and those of the rest of the Spaniards". In addition, he has thanked Vox's membership for their efforts and for having contributed their "bit of sand" to the project.
During the event he was accompanied by Vox's vice president and secretary general, Ignacio Garriga; the national spokesperson and president of the party in Madrid, José Antonio Fúster; as well as by members of the Executive Board, officials and other leaders, including the autonomous community vice presidents of Extremadura, Aragón, Castilla y León and Andalucía.
The organization has also projected messages of support from international allies of Vox, with Argentine president Javier Milei as the prominent figure. "Spain needs a president who defends them" and we must "get Sánchez out of power and put an end once and for all to the damned socialism", Milei says, referring to Abascal as his "friend".
They have also shown their support: the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni; the Portuguese André Ventura; the Italian Matteo Salvini; the Dutchman Geert Wilders; the Brazilian Flávio Bolsonaro—fled to the United States after the elections of late October--; the Czech Andrej Babis; the leader of the German AfD, Alice Weidel; the French Marine Le Pen; and the Hungarian Viktor Orban.
For his part, Garriga has proclaimed “stop and be clear” that Vox “is going to win the elections.” In his view, 29 November is “the last opportunity” to bring an end to the Government of Pedro Sánchez, which he has linked to “degradation” and “chaos,” citing as examples the train accidents in Adamuz and Urda, the Valencia flooding (dana), or the blackout, as well as the “institutionalized corruption” that he has attributed to the PSOE.
Likewise, he has defended that the campaign slogan, “It’s common sense,” “summarizes what any Spaniard thinks,” with special emphasis on national priority and on ensuring that “Spaniards are not the last in line” when it comes to accessing social aid or housing.