Vox as representative of the radical right in Spain: A study of its ideology

Abstract

The emergence of Vox in Spanish politics has raised a debate around the very ideological nature of this new party. This article addresses this concern by performing a qualitative content analysis of its party manifestos and discourses, based on the causal chain method. The findings show that Vox is a far-right organization as it fits the characteristics of the radical right party family. Its ideology is based on a combination of nationalism and xenophobia (nativism) and an authoritarian view of society, attached to the values of law and order. This authoritarianism, however, represents neither the willingness to establish an autocratic regime nor the use of violence to reach political goals. This nuance moves Vox away from the most extremist elements of the far right. On the other hand, nativism is the element which distinguishes Vox from the mainstream conservative parties. Finally, two specificities of the Spanish representative of the radical right are worth pointing out: Firstly, unlike many of its counterparts in Europe, populism is not very present in its discourse; the rhetoric of Vox is far more nationalist than populist. Secondly, while many representatives of this party family try to blur their socioeconomic position to attract a broader base of voters, Vox shows without complex a clear conservative stance in issues such as traditional values and a neoliberal economic agenda.