The Spanish political landscape is currently witnessing a controversial development as Vox, a right-wing party, is reportedly preparing to appoint Jordi de la Fuente, a figure with a documented history of ties to neo-Nazi movements and Vladimir Putin, as the head of its labor union, Solidaridad. According to Miguel González & Ángel Munárriz (2025), writing for El País, this decision is generating significant debate, especially considering De la Fuente is facing legal challenges related to an assault on a migrant children's center.
The Controversial Figure: Jordi de la Fuente
Jordi de la Fuente's background is proving to be a focal point of the controversy. His past affiliations with the Movimiento Social Republicano (MSR), a neo-Nazi party, and his documented support for Vladimir Putin are raising eyebrows across the political spectrum. El País reports that De la Fuente is facing a request from the prosecutor for a two-year and two-month prison sentence for his alleged involvement in an assault on a center for migrant minors in El Masnou, Barcelona, back in July 2019 (González & Munárriz, 2025).
Political Backing and Internal Support
Despite his controversial past and pending legal issues, De la Fuente appears to have secured the backing of key figures within Vox. Rodrigo Alonso, the current secretary-general of Solidaridad and a member of the Andalusian Parliament, along with Juan Garriga, Vox's spokesperson in the Catalan Parliament and president of the party in Barcelona, and Jorge Buxadé, the head of the ultra-right delegation in the European Parliament, are reportedly supporting his candidacy. Sources within Vox suggest that an alternative candidate is unlikely to emerge, due to the requirement of securing endorsements from at least 20% of the union's members, as stated in its bylaws (González & Munárriz, 2025).
In his campaign presentation, De la Fuente is promising his followers to engage directly, return to vocal activism, and launch into action. El País reports that they were unable to reach De la Fuente or any spokesperson from Solidaridad for comment (González & Munárriz, 2025).
Echoes of International Alignments
De la Fuente's ascendance within Vox coincides with the party's growing alignment with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a prominent ally of Moscow within the European Union. De la Fuente is an admirer of Alexander Dugin, a Russian ultranationalist ideologue closely associated with Putin, and has even written the prologue for the Spanish version of one of Dugin's books. Following the annexation of Crimea in 2014, De la Fuente collaborated with Kremlin-backed media outlets like RT, defending Russia's position in the conflict. In 2016, during a talk at the Casa de Rusia in Barcelona, he justified Moscow's intervention in Ukraine, claiming that Russians consider it their "backyard," and expressed his hope that Russia's worldview would spread to the West through parties acting as "Trojan horses" for the Kremlin (González & Munárriz, 2025).
Controversies and Criticisms
- Hezbollah Affiliations and Anti-Israel Comments: De la Fuente's past affinity for the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah and his public criticisms of Israel have also drawn scrutiny.
- Accusations of Anti-Semitism: ACOM (Acción y Comunicación sobre Oriente Medio), an organization defending Israel's interests in Spain, has demanded De la Fuente's removal from Vox, citing recent expressions of hatred towards Jews, dissemination of libels, and fierce animosity towards the State of Israel.
- Assault Charges: Adding to the controversy, De la Fuente faces a prosecutor's request for a two-year and two-month prison sentence for his alleged involvement in the 2019 assault on a center for unaccompanied foreign minors in El Masnou. The prosecutor accuses De la Fuente of participating in a gathering where slogans against migrants were chanted and of leading a group that stormed the center.
Despite these controversies, De la Fuente's career within Vox has continued to advance. His appointment as the head of Solidaridad is scheduled to be formally announced at a rally on March 15, with Santiago Abascal himself presenting him as the new leader (González & Munárriz, 2025).
The Broader Implications for Vox and European Politics
The unfolding events also reveal broader shifts within Vox and its international alliances. The current leader of Solidaridad, Rodrigo Alonso, is expected to lead the Confederation of European Patriotic Unions. This new international alliance of ultra-right unions was established in Budapest with the support of Viktor Orbán and includes representatives from various European countries (González & Munárriz, 2025).
The appointment of Jordi de la Fuente and the strengthening of international ties reflect a strategic move by Vox to consolidate its position within the European political landscape. However, these decisions are also raising concerns about the party's values and its potential impact on Spanish society (González & Munárriz, 2025).
As Vox continues to navigate these challenging waters, the Spanish public and the international community are closely monitoring the developments, aware of the potential implications for the future of Spanish politics and its role in Europe. The controversies surrounding Jordi de la Fuente and the broader political shifts represent a significant moment, as Spain grapples with questions of identity, values, and the direction of its political future.
