In recent years, Spain’s political landscape has been changing faster than ever. The rise in popularity of the Vox party raises questions about the reasons behind this phenomenon and its impact on society. As El Pais reports, familiar explanations—such as age, income level, or place of residence—do not reflect the real picture. New data show: support for Vox doesn’t come from one particular group, but rather from individual decisions made by people with different backgrounds and perspectives.
Myths About Support
One common narrative is that Vox voters are either young people with no memory of the dictatorship or elderly citizens nostalgic for the past. There’s also a belief that the party is strongest in rural areas or among those with low levels of education. However, statistics disprove these stereotypes. According to El Pais, among youth aged 18 to 24, Vox is supported by 11.6%, and among those over 75, by 7.8%. In cities with populations between 400,000 and one million, support reaches 17.9%, while in small settlements, it’s 14.3%. This means neither age nor place of residence determines support for this party.
Who Chooses Vox
The data show that among people who consider themselves poor, 8.8% support Vox, while among the well-off, it’s 15%. This challenges the idea that the party relies on the poorest sectors. The theory of a massive shift of disillusioned socialists also doesn’t hold up: only 3.9% of former PSOE voters choose Vox. Most of the party’s new supporters come from former Partido Popular voters and those who hadn’t voted before. Among the unemployed and students, there is no clear preference for this party.
Reasons for Choosing
Support for Vox is not directly linked to economic hardship or social vulnerability. People who vote for this party most often choose it due to a desire for order, strong leadership, and national identity. For them, a sense of security and confidence matters more than specific social programs. This phenomenon is observed not only in Spain, but also in other countries where similar parties gain support across various segments of the population.
Individual Choice
The main distinction of Vox supporters is not belonging to a particular group, but a personal attitude toward the structure of power. Concentration of authority and rejection of complicated compromises are important to them. They are not victims of circumstance, but citizens who consciously choose a certain model of governance. As El Pais reports, the rise of Vox is not the result of structural problems, but the outcome of many individual decisions that are shaping a new political reality.
In recent years, a similar trend has been observed in Europe and the US: parties advocating for strict order and strong authority are gaining support among a wide range of groups. In Germany, France, and Italy, comparable political forces are also not confined to a single social category. In Spain, these processes intensified after economic crises and waves of migration, when many sought simple answers to complex questions. These changes continue to influence the political landscape of the country, making it less predictable and more diverse.
