Spanish Far Right Parties Fuel Hostility Toward Migrants as Election Pressure Builds

 Clashes Erupt in Murcia Amidst Anti-Immigrant Campaign

Last week, Spain witnessed confrontations between immigrants and far-right supporters in the city of Murcia, in the south of the country. This followed allegations of Arab immigrants assaulting a Spanish citizen, which led to the intervention of security forces and the arrest of several immigrants. This was the worst incident of its kind in over a decade and was accompanied by a strong campaign against Muslims on social media by a movement calling itself "Deport Them Now."

The Vox Party and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism

Accusations were directed at the hardline right-wing Vox party, which is considered the most extreme right-wing party in Spain regarding immigrants and Muslims in general. This party was founded in 2003 and achieved electoral success in subsequent general and local elections after its inception. It was seen as an indicator of the emergence of a wave of right-wing extremism in the country, even though Spain was one of the last European countries to experience significant immigration, with the influx of immigrants only beginning in the early 1990s.

"Deport Them Now" Movement and Incitement to Hatred

This latest campaign against immigrants and Muslims was launched following a call by a Vox party parliamentarian in the Spanish Parliament last June, when he publicly called for the expulsion of 8 million immigrants. This prompted his supporters to form militias in several cities with a growing presence of Arab and African immigrants working in the agricultural sector, and to create the "Deport Them Now" movement, led by a 68-year-old Spanish citizen. The latter called on the Telegram platform for a campaign against immigrants, urging his movement's supporters to specifically target Maghrebi immigrants, before he was arrested on July 15 on charges of inciting racism and hatred towards foreigners, and for his responsibility in the confrontations that occurred in the town of Torre Pacheco in the Murcia region last week.

Political Opposition to Immigration Policies

The Vox party, along with the right-wing Popular Party, objects to the government's decisions, led by the Socialist Workers' Party under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to regularize the status of foreign immigrants within the country. They believe that the government's policy aims to "flood the country with immigrants."

Demographic Arguments and Perceived Threats

Leaders of the right-wing parties base their arguments on the changes in Spanish society regarding the status of Muslims and immigrants. They claim that the number of Muslims in Spain increased from 1,887,000 in 2015 to 2,400,000 in 2023, with 45% of them acquiring Spanish citizenship. They also state that the number of mosques increased from 1,632 in 2018 to 18,000 in 2021, an increase of 200 mosques in three years. They consider these increases to be a threat to the social and cultural fabric of the country.

Concerns Over Future Elections and Policy Shifts

As the voice of the far-right grows louder and intensifies its attacks on Muslims and immigrants, there is growing concern about the possibility of the Vox party and the Popular Party coming to power in the upcoming elections. The two allied parties give the impression that they are eager to take over the government and implement their policies. They are pressuring the socialists' government to move up the general and local elections from their scheduled date in 2027 to the beginning of next year, and are campaigning against the Socialist Party to force it to organize early elections.