The Far-Right

In times of struggle and unrest, violence often breaks out, violence wrapped in a flag: the skin heads of the far-right. Remarkably, Spain doesn’t have much of a far-right presence by European standards (although there are a few ‘alt-right’ newspapers). There are a number of small poky parties that briefly flitter through the news. We have the oddly named Falange Española de los JONS, the Alianza Nacional, the Movimiento Católico Español and a number of others (Wiki here). There is also the Alternativa Española, which was touted by the British Conservative and Eurosceptic Daniel Hannan as the party for the British residents to vote for in the European elections of 2009, but thankfully they are all ‘small potatoes’ without any voice in the Spanish Cortes. Yet, within the Partido Popular, and without naming names (beyond, let’s say, a previous Minister of the Interior), there are without doubt some who could be more comfortable in a formation further to the right. Some PP voters, too.

With the situation in Catalonia, it is a perfect moment for certain fiery individuals to reach for the flag and the knuckledusters, and a number of demonstrations, fights and arrests have been recorded, usually dismissed in the Media as coming from the ‘Ultras’ – football hooligans, in short.  Twelve arrests of Ultras were recently reported in Valencia: political prisoners? Hardly! Another 53 have been ‘recognised’ by the Mossos in Barcelona: Hitler salutes and swastika people. Uggh!
See, we didn't even mention the foreigners (yet).

Ultras, skinheads and fascist salutes are one thing – but in a country without a far right presence in the corridors of power, a country with long memories and sinister religious associations – the question must be faced: is there room here for a ‘Frente Nacional’?