‘Rise of far-right in Europe shouldn’t be underestimated’

By Senhan Bolelli

ANKARA (AA) – The rise of far-right in Europe should not be underestimated, a prominent Spanish journalist and author on the subject warned on Thursday.

Miguel Gonzalez, the author of a recent book on Spain's far-right Vox party, spoke to foreign press members including Anadolu Agency in Madrid.

The Spanish journalist said anti-Muslim immigration is the common view of the far right in Europe, and emphasized that the financing of these parties should be investigated. "Vox has an ideology of Spanish national sovereignty ... essentially a fascist view," he said.

In reference to the current situation, he said there is a positive correlation between the emergence of far-right in Basque Country (Euskadi), an autonomous community in northern Spain, and the rise of separatist tendencies in the country.

He did, however, emphasize that the base of the far-right in Spain is not as broad as it is in France.

Gonzalez claimed that the conservative People’s Party (PP) had played a role to strengthen the Vox party. According to him, the PP has always maintained ties with far-right tendencies and movements in Spain.

* Writing by Ahmet Gencturk