EUROSCEPTICISM IN THE PROGRAMME PRINCIPLES OF THE SPANISH RIGHT-WING RADICAL PARTY «VOX»

Abstract

The article examines the programme principles of the right-wing radical party «Vox» in Spain. The factors that influenced its emergence and further development are studied, the factors that led to the growth of the popularity of this political force are identified. The specific features of Spanish nationalism, the role of the historical past and Catholicism in its formation are analysed. A special role in the study is given to the analysis of manifestations of Euroscepticism in the activities of the Voice. It is noted that it is moderate in nature and focuses primarily on the desire to strengthen the role of national governments, rejecting any supranational governance bodies whose decisions would be binding on EU member states. An analysis of the party's programme documents and speeches by its leaders shows that nationalism is the key dominant cluster, and the issue of European integration is not a priority in them. In these documents, «Vox» acts as an opponent of the EU on a number of issues related to the country's participation in the EU and its activities. While criticising the EU and revealing the negative consequences of Spain's participation in this structure, «Vox» and its leaders have never raised the issue of the country's withdrawal from the EU. Its criticism is primarily related to the rejection of the model in which the integration process is implemented. The party does not accept the EU's course towards federalisation and further expansion of its functions at the expense of the sovereignty of national states. «Vox» presents its voters with its vision of the model for the implementation of European integration. The European Union should become a community of free nations that cooperate with each other and join forces in areas where they can definitely achieve much faster and more efficiently together than separately. The peculiarity of the Voice is that a significant place in its programme documents is occupied by foreign policy issues, in particular, EU foreign policy. The party and its leaders fully support the EU's policy towards Russia in the Ukrainian crisis. They are in favour of developing EU-Spain relations with the US and NATO. The analysis of the party documents of «Vox» allows us to conclude that the issue of European integration is not central to the party. Criticism of the EU and the inclusion of this topic in the party's ideological postulates stem from its ideological basis, formed on the basis of key concepts of Spanish nationalism, adapted to the realities of Spain's modern development and the challenges it faces in the context of globalisation. Keywords: Spain, political party, Euroscepticism, «Vox», right-wing radicalism.