Spain’s progressive government is protecting the tomb of Julio Álvarez del Vayo, foreign minister for the Republic during the Civil War and later a Nation editor. Spain’s right wing? They call him a terrorist.
It vows to strengthen job security and unions, raise the minimum wage and taxes on the wealthy, pass a climate-change law, and introduce free, universal public child care.
A surge in support for the far-right Vox party induced the feuding left parties to unite—but the stalemate over Catalan separatism could torpedo their coalition.
Massive peaceful protests, along with days of violent clashes, demonstrate that the fight over this region’s independence movement affects the entire country and is far from over.
The left’s failure last week to form a coalition reflects deep distrust between the Socialists and their rival, Unidas Podemos—and the right is elated.
The truth is, Spain was never really an outlier in Europe, its radical right is not really new, and its situation is hard to compare to right-wing populism in other parts of the continent.
