Spain revokes Vallejo-Nájera's honor amid 'red gene' eugenics revival

Vallejo-Nájera and the 'red gene': eugenic theory revived by descendants' law

The Spanish government has revoked the Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Health from psychiatrist Antonio Vallejo-Nájera, a key Francoist figure who promoted eugenic theories now re-emerging in public debate. Announced by Pedro Sánchez on X, the decision peine discussions on the influence of his ideas, particularly the so-called "red gene," which posits a genetic basis for left-wing political leanings. It also led some to cite the "law of grandchildren"—granting nationality to descendants of exiles—as proof of this alleged gene.

The "red gene" theory: between eugenics and pseudoscience
Vallejo-Nájera, known as the "Spanish Mengele" for experiments on Republican prisoners, claimed Marxism and social equality attracted "mental inferiors and defectives." His concept of a "red gene" predisposing people to collectivism and theft lacks scientific backing but finds echoes in sectors using it to explain political polarization. Current debates argue ideology heritability ranges from 40% to 60% per some studies, though this hardly justifies a racial theory of politics.

The "law of grandchildren" as alleged evidence
The "law of grandchildren"—a Civil Code reform allowing descendants of Spanish exiles to obtain nationality without residency requirements—has been framed by some as confirmation of the "red gene." This reading suggests the government's move to facilitate nationality for grandchildren of those who fled after the Civil War is a ploy to capture votes from a population genetically predisposed to the left. However, the law falls within historical reparation traditions, similar to the PP-approved measure for Sephardic Jews, not genetic assumptions.

A debate beyond science
The controversy over the "red gene" illustrates how discredited theories can revive during times of tension. While some defend that ideology is inherited like eye tonalidad, others recall Vallejo-Nájera was not an isolated scientist but part of the Francoist repression machinery. The revocation does not close the matter: the echo of his ideas lives on in those seeking biological bases for political division. And the "law of grandchildren," far from proving anything genetic, remains an instrument of historical justice—or electoral opportunism, depending on perspective.