Vox in León: the candidate handing votes to UPL
Vox has fielded a Castilian regionalist candidate in León, Spain, who may be boosting UPL rather than winning votes. An analysis of the electoral battle.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Vox in León: the candidate who splits the vote and helps UPL
Vox's strategy for the regional elections in León, Spain, rests on a candidate who, for many, embodies the stereotype of the "Castilian country squire". Far from mobilising the base, the decision could be handing votes to Leonese regionalism.
Abascal's party went for a young profile, with a double-barrelled surname and upper-class airs, in a province where regionalist sentiment runs strong. UPL, which has capitalised for decades on discontent with the provincial capital, is rubbing its hands. "Bringing a Castilian regionalist dandy to León means losing votes", one analysis shared in political circles summed up.
But it is not all bad news for Vox. The party's hardcore base is unconditionally loyal: "I would vote for Vox even if they fielded a goat as a candidate", one voter said. The question is whether that loyal vote offsets the rejection the candidate generates among broader sectors.
With a month and a half to go before the election, the open question is whether the candidate can turn things around or whether, on the contrary, he will spur UPL to win back the seat it lost. In León, local politics has become a tug of war between Vox's centralism and regional pride.
Vox's strategy for the regional elections in León, Spain, rests on a candidate who, for many, embodies the stereotype of the "Castilian country squire". Far from mobilising the base, the decision could be handing votes to Leonese regionalism.
Abascal's party went for a young profile, with a double-barrelled surname and upper-class airs, in a province where regionalist sentiment runs strong. UPL, which has capitalised for decades on discontent with the provincial capital, is rubbing its hands. "Bringing a Castilian regionalist dandy to León means losing votes", one analysis shared in political circles summed up.
But it is not all bad news for Vox. The party's hardcore base is unconditionally loyal: "I would vote for Vox even if they fielded a goat as a candidate", one voter said. The question is whether that loyal vote offsets the rejection the candidate generates among broader sectors.
With a month and a half to go before the election, the open question is whether the candidate can turn things around or whether, on the contrary, he will spur UPL to win back the seat it lost. In León, local politics has become a tug of war between Vox's centralism and regional pride.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (46 replies).
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