Vox returns to acting "like an army" after the purge

BarcelonaVox does not allow disagreements or disobedience and has seen a string of defections from its leaders in recent years. Former spokespersons for Congress such as Iván Espinosa de los Monteros and Macarena Olona have left the party's original core, along with former deputies such as Juan Luis Steegman—critical of the "neo-Falangist" drift—and Víctor Sánchez del Real, the former Madrid leader Rocío Monasterio—critical of Juan García-Gallardo—and the former Balearic leader Idoia Ribas. They have even had an attempted rebellion in Valencia City HallHow does Vox function and how should these losses be understood?

When consulted by ARA, critical sources who left the party denounce a lack of autonomy. In short, the state leadership decides everything. This isn't just the opinion of critics: sources within the party accept it and defend it as the best way to operate. Beyond criticism of the point of view, one idea is clear: "Vox functions like an army." Obedient to the leader, Santiago Abascal, and his leadership, with a sense of hierarchy.

Neither nuances nor autonomy

Official sources from Vox explain that "it is impossible that there is men [territorial] because the national leadership decides everything." Accepting the logic of functioning "like an army," they clarify that "the militants elect the general, but then all this has a mark" –electing the party president is the only space with primaries–, and define a "chain of trust." defend the same thing throughout Spain: "If someone has a disagreement about a national decision, they are dismissed." This happened with García-Gallardo because he did not want to obey. But while he was from the hardline camp, others like Olona, ​​Espinosa, and Monasterio fell into the now-defunct ultra-liberal camp. The party claims a structure similar to that of Marine Le Pen in France, Matteo Salvini in Italy, and Viktor Orbán in Hungary. According to these sources, opinions "are conveyed internally," but when there is a state decision, it must be defended or the path is dismissal.

Loyalty to Abascal and also to the secretary general, Ignacio Garriga, is key, and all voting decisions and parliamentary and municipal initiatives go through the unifying body called the technical office, headed by Catalan Montserrat Lluis, a trusted Abascal, who, like the vice-secretaries, is in charge of the vice-secretaries. The three form the hard core, grouped in the political action committee. as explained by AHORAAnd Catalan power doesn't end there, because MEP Jorge Buxadé wields significant ideological influence and is the architect of the shift in alliances, having ended up on the blog of the pro-Russian leader Orbán.

Sources from the critical sector that has left Vox maintain that "their working system is more like a cult," because "there's a spiritual component of worship of the leader with blind faith and obedience," they say. The reason? "They don't want their own criteria." And control is exercised down to the smallest detail. Hence the treatment of those who have left, according to these sources: "They squander you and call you a traitor." They're like "puppets," emphasize dissident sources, who denounce "humiliating" and authoritarian treatment within the party by the leadership, which brooks no nuances, and in which the "Catalan clan" wields a great deal of influence. With the decision to "take down the liberal sector" and move closer to Orbán, "driven" by Buxadé, the "Falangist line" has prevailed.

Gradual process

In 2019, upon entering the institutions, Vox eliminated primaries for choosing candidates for elections. This decision then passed to the national executive committee, led by Abascal. In 2022, primaries for electing provincial leaders were also eliminated. According to sources within the party, "the primaries were a tragedy, a fratricidal war for control," and likewise, provincial leaders and local candidates were "just another delegate" without autonomy. The only thing elected through primaries is the party president, the undisputed leader.