The Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox have already made their first contacts aimed at a deal that will allow the PP's Andalusian leader, Juanma Moreno, to form a government in the large southern Spanish region. The two right-wing parties have agreed to hold a working meeting next Tuesday to continue negotiating the support of the extremists, after a conversation this Friday between party officials.
According to PP sources, party general secretary Teodoro García Egea spoke to his Vox counterpart, Javier Ortega Smith, in a "friendly" telephone conversation lasting about 20 minutes, in which they reviewed some of the issues which the next Andalusian government must tackle. What was not discussed, however, was Vox's demand for a change in the law against gender violence, nor an alternative offer which the PP wants to present to Vox.
These preliminary talks between the two parties come after the PP softened its tone with Vox, which had dug in its heels on its opposition to the Andalusian law against gender violence. Although the Popular Party had initially been reluctant to open a debate on the gender violence issue, party president Pablo Casado, has begun to adjust his rhetoric on the subject, speaking of "domestic violence" rather than "gender violence".
Additionally, the PP is now preparing a proposal to "strengthen the law against domestic violence", to improve the "protection of grandfathers, grandmothers, children and men" that suffer abuse, without amending the law of gender violence. In a tweet today he says: "We want to protect the victims whatever their sex and age", referring to "25% of cases" who, he suggests, are not women:
In the video included in his tweet, Pablo Casado introduces his subject - gender violence - by dismissing the importance of the terms used for it: "...gender violence, domestic violence, I don't care what's its called, there's even controversy about the name of it, when we all know what it is and that we have to stop it. For a long time the left has been trying to give the impression that it has exclusive patrimony over the defence of women, and of those who are disadvantaged. As we have always said, the PP is the party of "persons", the party that cares about each person, independent of their sex, age, race, religion, preference, sexual orientation, but especially of the persons that need it most. That's why we have supported specific policies to protect women who suffer ill-treatment in a domestic or work situation or from their former partners, because it's needed..."
"That's why it's totally irresponsible," continues Casado, "that from certain parties, the defence of women and the combatting of violence is exploited, in whatever situation it occurs, domestic, work, etc. And as well, I have to say in the name of the PP we aren't going to let anyone give us lessons on these issues [applause], this is a message to all the political parties because they're all trying to play political games with women and with the victims..."
Meanwhile, Vox secretary general Javier Ortega Smith, in a tweet of his own, confirmed today's conversation and next week's planned meeting with the PP, saying he hopes that Ciudadanos will also attend. "Vox maintains its willingness to facilitate a real change in Andalusia and that's why sitting down together is an important step. We hope that Cs will also attend this meeting," adds the message.