Gender and Immigration in VOX

Abstract

This article aims to analyse the gender equality and immigration discourse of VOX. VOX is a member of the European radical right-wing family of political parties that are characterised by the ideological principles of conservatism, nationalism, and nativism. In its analysis of the growth of such forces in Europe, this article focuses on the intersection between the fields of migration studies and gender studies. Qualitative methodology is employed to analyse the official documents and parliamentary speeches of this political party. The results of the analysis obtained show that VOX calls for greater border control and tougher penalties for irregular immigration, which they view as a crime. On gender issues they seek to preserve traditional roles and the division of labour along gender lines, attack feminism as an ideology, and finally, promote natalist policies.

Social care for the migrant population in Spain: needs and strengths of organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic and infodemic

“…Organisations criticised situations of criminalisation of migration, including forced migration. The current fear of respondents is the threat of an increase in social polarisation as a result of associating migrants with the emergence of new outbreaks of the disease and even using them as a political tool (as already condemned by Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado, 2020; Fernández-Suárez, 2021; IOM, 2020; Thomas et al , 2021) as follows:…”

“…Although the pandemic has demonstrated the positive contribution of the migrant population in Spain, xenophobic attitudes have increased. During the regional election campaign in Madrid in May 2021, VOX, a Spanish right-wing populist party, fuelled the social construction of immigration as a problem with an explicit anti-Muslim discourse that characterises its propaganda (Fernández-Suárez, 2021).…”

The Effect of Moral Foundations on Intergroup Relations: The Salience of Fairness Promotes the Acceptance of Minority Groups

“…To contribute to this aim, we conducted three studies in Spain, which has one of the highest percentages of immigration (14.6 %) in the European Union (EU) (McAuliffe & Triandafyllidou, 2021) and where a far-right party called VOX has recently gained media and political influence. This party builds its agenda and discourse in opposition to immigration and border control, among other conservative ideas (see Ferna´ndez-Sua´rez, 2021). Since 1978, Spain has been a parliamentary monarchy.…”

Sexism and the Far‐Right Vote: The Individual Dynamics of Gender Backlash

“…Vox denies the existence of discrimination against women (“Spain is a country where men and women are equal before the law”), and if any discrimination exists it is carried out by Muslim migrant workers (Cabezas 2022). Vox attacks feminists calling them “feminazis” and considers them a threat to the family as an institution, responsible for “totalitarian indoctrination,” and hence should not receive any public funding (Cabezas 2022; Fernández‐Suárez 2021). Finally, Vox fervently rejects existing legislation against gender violence.…”

“…Finally, Vox fervently rejects existing legislation against gender violence. In their view, the 2004 act—passed with unanimous approval in parliament—“liquidates constitutional guarantees and removes basic civil rights for half of the population” by discriminating against men (Fernández‐Suárez 2021). These are all the core elements of modern sexism.…”