Latest news with #SantiagoAbascal
Saudi Gazette
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Tens of thousands of people took part in May Day rallies across Europe
PARIS — Rallies and demonstrations were organized across multiple major European cities on Thursday to commemorate Labor Day, calling for higher pay, greater equality and the protection of workers' rights. International Labour Day, also referred to as May Day or International Workers' Day, is an annual celebration that marks the struggles and achievements of workers and the labor movement around the world. It's observed around the globe on 1 May, and is a public holiday in most countries. The holiday has its foundations in North America. In May 1886, a violent crackdown on protesters in Chicago — known as the Haymarket Affair — saw numerous deaths and injuries after a peaceful rally in support of workers striking for an eight-hour workday. This led to the Second International in Paris calling for demonstrations to be held in its memory four years later. By the end of the 19th century, many European countries had taken inspiration, and May Day had become a global phenomenon. In Europe, events range in size and shape from nationwide celebrations to smaller-scale affairs. This year was no different, as many protests calling for increased workers' rights took place across major European capitals, here's a preview. In France, thousands participated in nationwide protests, called for by unions across the country. More than 10,000 people participated in rallies held in Paris. Police scuffled with protesters in the capital Paris on Thursday. The scuffles erupted when protesters passed by the Socialist Party militants who were asked to leave the protest including an MP, Jerome Guedj. The demonstrations took place against a backdrop of political instability in the country, where a party deadlock and a historic parliamentary vote that ousted the previous government in December left the country without a functioning government for weeks. In Spain, Solidaridad, the workers' union of the far right party VOX and traditional workers unions staged parallel demonstrations in Madrid for Labor Day. Solidaridad held the rally together with party leader, Santiago Abascal in one of the working-class areas of the Madrid region, Fuenlabrada, to advocate for workers' rights. They carried Spanish flags and criticized the government as well as the recent blackout on Monday. "The work in Spain is bad, many hours, low salary. Life is getting more expensive, and the government does nothing," said Andreu Barba, a gardener. Meanwhile, traditional workers' unions like UGT (General Workers Union) and CCOO (Workers Commission) held a rally in the city centre, where they called for the continuation of improved labor conditions and a reduction in the workday. In Greece, thousands of workers gathered in central Athens on Thursday to mark the occasion. Several workers' unions and trade unions staged a rally outside the parliament building, waving flags and chanting anti-government slogans. Student Foteini Douli said it was important to reflect and remember. 'Of course we are here to honor Labor Day, which after many struggles and with great effort we, workers managed to achieve the eight-hour day, the working conditions and the rest,' she said. — Euronews
Observer
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Populists versus bureaucrats
Populists love to hate bureaucracy. Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland – now the country's second-strongest party – says that clueless European Union bureaucrats are destroying the bloc's free-market foundations. Santiago Abascal, who leads Spain's far-right Vox party, accuses the same bureaucrats of attempting to 'liquidate freedom", while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni calls the EU an 'invasive bureaucratic giant.' Across the Atlantic, US President Donald Trump is dismantling a federal bureaucracy that he claims is rife with 'waste, fraud, and abuse,' and 'stifles personal freedom.' Bureaucracy, as they portray it, is the enemy of progress. The populists are wrong. As I pointed out at the recent Delphi Economic Forum, far from a sclerotic force destined to strangle innovation and liberty, bureaucracy forms the scaffolding for both. From drafting legislation and issuing permits to composing communications and coordinating crisis responses, bureaucrats carry out the mundane tasks that keep society functioning. Without them, economies would stall, the rule of law would collapse, and political visions would never be realised. Bureaucracy is, at its core, an exercise in rationality. As US president Woodrow Wilson pointed out, administration demands expertise – which is fundamentally neutral, not ideological – and thus exists outside the turbulent sphere of politics. For Max Weber, an intellectual titan in administrative theory, obedience to the impersonal, rules-based order that bureaucracy represents – rather than to charismatic individuals or entrenched traditions – is a mark of a society's maturity. But maturity implies patience, which populists notoriously lack. It took EU institutions more than 260 days to get the Recovery and Resilience Facility – a lifeline for struggling EU countries during the Covid-19 pandemic – from proposal to passage. The Artificial Intelligence Act took 1,199 days, and the Asylum Procedure Regulation nearly eight years. While these timelines could undoubtedly be shortened, crafting policies that balance the interests of 27 countries is an inescapably complicated affair requiring careful deliberation. In any case, the main source of delays is not EU bureaucrats, but the European Council's member governments and the European Parliament's elected politicians. None of this matters to populists. They paint pictures of lumbering giants, like those depicted at the Siphnian Treasury in Delphi. Just as the gods of Mount Olympus – with the help of the mortal Heracles – had to vanquish those power-hungry giants, so, too, must today's populist 'gods' defeat a monstrous bureaucracy that seeks dominion over all aspects of life. This is the vision that animates the Department of Government Efficiency, established by Trump and led by the world's richest person, Elon Musk. But far from crushing a dangerous foe, DOGE is destroying America's ability to confront the giants that actually threaten it, from climate change to technological disruption. These giants can be defeated only through the kind of disciplined, long-term coordination at which bureaucracy excels. Ironically, there could be no more compelling argument for the value of measured governance carried out by seasoned bureaucrats than DOGE's reckless gutting of America's state capacity. This has included the decimation of crucial agencies, such as the US Agency for International Development, and programmes ranging from lifesaving medical research to projects supporting teenagers with disabilities. While DOGE's approach has satisfied the populist hunger for daring over deliberation, it has also required a number of hasty reversals, including halting the firing of hundreds of federal employees working on America's nuclear-weapons programmes. And this is to say nothing of escalating privacy and security concerns, as DOGE staff access sensitive databases with virtually no oversight. Musk might have made much of his fortune in a sector known for 'moving fast and breaking things,' but the government is not a tech company. As many observers, including veteran Republican budget experts, have warned, DOGE's cuts – driven by ideology and self-interest, not pragmatism and the common good – are jeopardising public welfare. The same goes for Trump's reinstatement of Schedule F, which makes it easier to fire civil servants. This move threatens to politicise the federal workforce, making it less capable, as loyalty is rewarded over merit, and less equipped to fulfil its role as a critical source of continuity across administrations. The allure of political audacity is undeniable. When Trump issues ultimatums – to universities, trading partners, Nato allies, and others – he projects strength. When Meloni performs a foreign-policy balancing act – courting Trump while championing Western unity – she exudes pragmatism. When French far-right leader Marine Le Pen defies EU financial probes – much to Trump's delight – she appears dauntless. Such acts electrify supporters, replacing feelings of helplessness and stagnation with the thrill of brashness, the exhilaration of disruption and the promise of power. But good governance demands discipline, not spectacle. The EU's Competitiveness Compass, a strategic framework aimed at strengthening growth and innovation without sacrificing environmental goals, is a case in point. There is only one way to chart a credible path forward that accounts for multiple complex and competing goals – and it involves bureaucratic expertise, not a chain saw. None of this is to say that bureaucracies are above reproach. The EU's sluggish lawmaking and America's labyrinthine administrative system warrant scrutiny. But the solution is reform, not demolition. Streamlining regulations, as the EU's Omnibus packages seek to do, can enhance the bloc's agility. And measures that guarantee merit-based hiring and protect civil servants from political purges would support US efforts to improve governance. To defend bureaucracy is not to fetishise red tape, but to recognise the vital role it plays in making our societies work. In the fight against the 'giant' challenges we face, bureaucracy is Heracles, the flawed but knowledgeable ally that makes victory possible. To vilify it is to mistake the servant for the master, risking the very future we seek to reclaim. @Project Syndicate, 2025
Ya Biladi
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Vox Party pushes for return of unaccompanied minors to Morocco
The far-right Vox party voiced its opposition on Tuesday to the agreement between the Junts party and Pedro Sanchez's government on the distribution of unaccompanied minor migrants. Party leader Santiago Abascal posted on social media: «No to Bilbao, no to Barcelona, no to anywhere. But to Morocco». Vox Secretary General Ignacio Garriga also condemned the agreement, calling the planned redistribution of 4,000 unaccompanied minors «extremely dangerous». He highlighted that Madrid is set to receive over 700 minors from the Canary Islands, while Catalonia will only be required to accommodate 20 to 30, according to an announcement by Carles Puigdemont's party on Tuesday. In an interview with RNE radio, Garriga criticized Junts for negotiating with the Socialist Party «for their own privileges» rather than seeking solutions to end illegal immigration or working to return the minors to their home countries. He argued that Spain's immigration policies «have proven to be a failure» and lamented that Junts did not use the negotiations to push for a permanent solution. «As always, the losers are all Spaniards, and in this case, the Catalans», he added. Meanwhile, the Cabinet is preparing to issue a legal decree establishing «fair and balanced criteria» aimed at addressing the humanitarian situation, improving the integration of minors, and providing them with better opportunities. Junts defended the agreement, stating that the distribution of minors will be based on regional population sizes and acknowledging Catalonia's past efforts in accommodating migrants. The party emphasized that the region «has consistently exceeded its capacity limits».
Budapest Times
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Orbán: Everyone sees that we are the future
'We understand the path from opposition to government,' PM Orbán declared. Referencing his own 16 years as an opposition leader and 19 years as Hungary's prime minister, he stated, 'That path is one of suffering and pain,' underscoring the resilience required to challenge progressive political elites. In a direct appeal to Santiago Abascal and VOX, he added, 'You have suffered enough. It is time for you to govern.' Drawing on centuries of shared history, PM Orbán highlighted the deep-rooted connections between Hungary and Spain, referencing Hungary's contributions to the Reconquista and Spain's support during the Hungarian uprising against communism in 1956. 'The Spanish and the Hungarians share a tested brotherhood in arms,' he affirmed. 'And today, 70 years later, I stand here in Madrid, beside you.' PM Orbán described Hungary as a 'laboratory of conservative politics,' emphasizing its success in protecting its borders, resisting mass migration, and safeguarding traditional values. 'We have built a free, conservative, and Christian Hungary,' he stated. 'No illegal migrants enter our country. In Hungary, crossing the border without permission is a crime, not a political debate.' He also pointed to Hungary's rejection of gender ideology in schools and constitutional protections for Christian culture, stating bluntly, 'We had to write into the constitution that a mother is a woman, and a father is a man—something we once assumed everyone knew.' Turning to the broader European political landscape, the prime minister criticized Brussels's leadership for economic decline, migration policies, and its handling of the Ukraine war. 'Brussels has ruined Europe. They have opened the gates to an invasion, drained our wealth to finance a hopeless war, and driven our economy into decline,' he said. Citing billionaire George Soros' advocacy for large-scale migration in 2015, he pointed to the arrival of nine million migrants since then, stating, 'The population replacement is not a conspiracy theory—it is happening before our eyes.' PM Orbán also referenced the political shifts in the United States and Europe, calling President Donald Trump's return a 'Trump Tornado' that has upended the global order. 'Yesterday we were the heretics. Today we are the mainstream,' he declared. 'In America, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, and Hungary, patriots are winning. Next up: Czechia!' In closing, PM Orbán urged support for VOX in Spain. 'Europe has been taken hostage by the progressive elites. But you, the Spanish people, know how to tame a raging bull,' he said, referring to the EU establishment. He praised Abascal as 'the bravest toreador in politics' and called on conservatives across Europe to unite. 'Let's tame this bull together,' he concluded. 'Vamos Santiago! Vamos Patriotas! Vamos VOX!'
Local Spain
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Local Spain
Inside Spain: Algae football kits and why the police are far-right
Inside Spain For Members In this week's Inside Spain, we look at why Vox would be in power if only the Spanish police and military could vote, and how a Spanish football team is raising awareness about an invasive algae polluting Andalusia's sea with an innovative kit. According to Spain's Research Council (CIS), almost half of Spain's police and military forces vote for far-right groups. Their data shows that 33 percent of them support Vox, while 14 percent vote for the fringe radical party of Alvise Pérez, 'The Party is Over' (Se Acabó La Fiesta). In fact, more police officers and soldiers vote for Santiago Abascal's Vox party than for the long-established centre-right Popular Party (30 percent). So if only the Spanish military and police voted in the country's general election there would most likely be a far-right government in power, especially if they aligned with the PP, as they'd have 77 percent of the total votes. So would the remaining 13 percent of the vote share go to Sánchez's Socialists? No, as 7 percent of Spanish police and military officers opt for the blank or null vote option, and only 6 percent vote for the PSOE. And how about the hard-left junior coalition party Sumar? They only get a measly 1 percent of votes from policías and militares. "In political sociology we are not used to seeing gaps of this size," Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte, professor of Political Science at the University of Southampton, told news site Info Libre about his findings showing that Spanish soldiers were five times more likely to vote for Vox than civilians. So why are the police and armed forces in a country which is generally quite left-leaning so overly right-wing? Their patriotic beliefs have certainly played a role, with Vox's criticism of the Catalan independence push and Sánchez's amnesty for its main perpetrators striking a chord with the police and armed forces. Even though Spain's national police head Francisco Pardo called Vox's claim that immigration caused crime 'a huge lie', it seems clear that those on the ground don't think the same. For Turnbull-Dugarte, the comradery that occurs in the Spanish army barracks and police academis pushes soldiers and police officers to the right. The traditional military culture, work duties linked to authoritarianism, the emphasis on masculinity, the patriotic vision of the State, the rejection of minorities considered unpatriotic, the sacredness of national unity - all these views align far more with Vox's rhetoric than with the progressive talk of Spain's PM. Let's just hope Santiago Abascal doesn't choose to stage a coup d'état, because it seems likely he'd have thousands of police officers and soldiers on his side. The jersey is made with recycled plastic from the ocean as well as a textile fabric created from the brown algae. Named Rugulopteryx okamurae, the algae has spread rapidly in the Mediterranean impacting biodiversity, fishing and tourism, as well as proving expensive to remove. Betis, who presented the shirt in the town of Tarifa on Thursday, a town particularly affected by the issue, will wear it on February 16th against Real Sociedad in La Liga. "The presence of invasive algae on our coasts is destroying our ecosystem," wrote Betis in a post on social media. "To confront them, the first kit made with fibres created from these algae was born." Marine biologist Candela Sánchez Atienzar told news agency AFP the algae, native to the North Pacific, most likely arrived in Spanish waters in 2015 "through the ballast waters of merchant ships". "When it arrived it started to spread out of control, there's no invasion in the history of science described on this scale," she said. Rafael Muela Pastor, the director of Betis' social foundation, said it was a good opportunity to raise awareness of the problem. "News was reaching us that the invasive Asian algae was causing many problems in all sectors in the area," he said. "We wanted to take advantage of this situation in some way to draw attention to the importance of caring for our oceans and seas."
