Vox leader defends interview cancellation, vows to cut union subsidies
Santiago Abascal, leader of the Vox party, has defended the decision to cancel a planned interview with Jordi Wild, citing a desire to protect the party’s messaging. The cancellation, which occurred on the way between Madrid and Logroño, was described as “a decision of mine and irreversible” to prevent potential alterations to Vox’s proposals.
Abascal, expected to be the party’s candidate in the upcoming general elections, announced in an interview with ‘Espejo Público’ that Vox representatives will now only participate in recordings with a camera crew from their own team. He acknowledged criticism on social media and among younger voters, expressing concern for Spanish citizens and emphasizing that the policy change is “a strategic decision that will not be changed.”
The controversy stems from a leaked portion of the interview with Wild, prompting Vox to request the release of the full recording. Abascal stated he has “nothing against Jordi” and feels sympathy for him.
He also criticized what he described as the theft of 40 minutes of recording from Spanish citizens, placing blame on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Following the general strike, Abascal condemned the picketing and violence that occurred during the demonstrations. He pledged to eliminate subsidies for unions, or “drastically reduce” them, redirecting public spending elsewhere. He accused two unions of inaction over the past eight years and stated that political parties would also be affected by spending cuts, with a focus on reducing unnecessary expenses in autonomous communities. Vox advocates for a centralized state, aiming to “end Sánchez’s rule” and create a new Spain.
Reports indicate that the government included CCOO and UGT as “intermediaries” in a 31 million euro plan for international funding just before the general strike, despite neither organization having delegations outside of Spain.
Key policy proposals include regulating the immigration system, establishing relations with Morocco, and restoring order in Ceuta. Vox aims for legal and orderly immigration and wants to encourage Spanish citizens living abroad to return. Abascal indicated he would be willing to forgo hosting the World Cup if necessary.
With the campaign set to begin shortly, Vox hopes to double its electoral results from the July 23rd election.
Source
“Abascal liquida la polémica con Jordi Wild: "No queremos comprometer el discurso"”
Read the original report (in Spanish) ↗This story was written with AI tools from the original report credited above and published after automatic checks. No person read it before it was published. If you spot an error, please tell us: corrections are published on our corrections page. Read our editorial policy · Report an error · Corrections
Read next
Nationwide strike grips Spain over housing costs ahead of election
A general strike brought much of Spain to a standstill on Wednesday as approximately four million workers protested the country’s escalating housing…
Related
Caught up in five lines
The Brief: the day’s biggest stories, written by our desk at and .