Thousands of people demonstrated last Saturday in Madrid against the social-communist dictatorship, but the motion of no confidence to overthrow the tyrannical regime and call elections immediately has not yet arrived. It seems that there are no volunteers to take the plunge.
The initiative was announced by Santiago Abascal, president of Vox, on December 9, when the Government launched the most erroneous, reckless and debatable initiative of the legislature, piling up in a few days, as if it were scrap, the modification of the crimes of sedition and embezzlement in the Criminal Code, along with other initiatives, such as the trans law or a partial change in the mechanism for electing the magistrates of the Constitutional Court. Fifty days have passed since then and the motion has not arrived.
Vox coveted a white vote of no confidence, before which the Popular Party could not turn its back. The idea was that an independent personality, civilian of course, would lead the initiative, with a single item on its agenda: the immediate calling of elections. There are no numbers in the Spanish Parliament for an initiative of this magnitude, piloted by the extreme right, to obtain the support of the majority of Congress, but it would have an impact. For the Popular Party, it would be a serious problem to abstain or vote against a motion of no confidence headed by one of the following characters: Fernando Savater, Nicolás Redondo Terreros, Joaquín Leguina, Andrés Trapiello, Francisco Vázquez, Rosa Díez or Carlos García Adanero, with the sure blessing of Mario Vargas Llosa and the more than likely support of the few deputies that remain for Ciudadanos.
It was a brilliant idea. It was, in reality, a motion of no confidence against the Popular Party, whose implementation needed the support of the asteroid belt that orbits around the Community of Madrid and the media that fight for the spiritual leadership of the Spanish right. The sky of Madrid has very beautiful sunsets and an astronomical movement of political interest. The asteroid belt is essential for an enveloping maneuver like the one imagined by Abascal. We are talking about a series of associations, entities and platforms that claim to act in defense of the Spanish nation, some of which were activated in the capital of Spain during the stormy debate on the Statute of Catalonia (2005-2010) and others have been illuminated during the independence process (2012-2022).
No figure from the asteroid belt, whose orbit is governed by the critical mass of the Community of Madrid, by the magnetic field of the conservative press, and, to a lesser extent, by Alberto Núñez Feijóo's expectations for the future, has wanted to give a step forward to date, despite Abascal's efforts to achieve a good coup after the demonstration last Saturday in Madrid, clearly capitalized by Vox. The intensity of that quasar has not been enough. For now. Abascal said Tuesday in Congress that his proposal still stands.
The PP has moved. García Adanero, a defecting deputy from the Unión del Pueblo Navarro (UPN), one of the most popular names to head the Vox motion, has been offered the Popular Party's candidacy for mayor of Pamplona, after registering with the party, together with the other UPN defector deputy, Sergio Sayas. Both were about to knock down the labor reform law soon a year ago.
Ciudadanos, who in December expressed enthusiastic support for the Vox initiative, has not spoken about the matter again. Inés Arrimadas came to ask Núñez Feijóo to head the motion. First, pressure on the PP, then relaxation. It will be interesting to know the political destiny of Arrimadas once the legislature concludes.
With 52 deputies in Congress, Vox could present a second motion of no confidence headed again by Santiago Abascal, as it did in October 2020. The risk of attrition is high, however. In Spain, the mechanism of the motion of censure is very demanding for those who dare to take the step. Only five motions have been presented in 46 years and only one has triumphed: Pedro Sánchez against Mariano Rajoy in 2018. In Portugal, with a lighter dynamic, there have been 30. An alternative program must be presented and submitted to an exhausting parliamentary debate. You have to pass a tough test. In Spain, the vote of no confidence wears out those who present it lightly, Giulio Andreotti would say.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso's tactical turn against Vox seems to have been decisive. For the first time, the president of the Community of Madrid is taking greater distances with them. Something does not fit in the expectations of May. Vox is defending a very stable electoral ground that would stand at 14% in a general election, say reliable analysts. Díaz Ayuso was not at the demonstration last Sunday, some right-wing media began to attack Vox virulently, and the asteroid belt orbited disciplinedly.
There are no volunteers to bring down the dictatorship that governs Spain. Those who opposed the only dictatorship this country has had in the last 84 years, the dictatorship of General Franco, were more courageous.
