Humphrey CarterPalma16/03/2019 07:13
TW

The Partido Popular was once upon a time considered to be a centre.right party, then it became dubbed the corrupt party and now it is gaining a new reputation for becoming a far-right party as it scraps with Vox for the same votes. This week its leader, Pablo Casado, has been branded a "racist and fascist" and he unveiled one of the PP's plans to tackle immigration if they should form part of a coalition government. The PP's latest idea is that pregnant illegal immigrants will be able to avoid deportation by giving their baby up for adoption.

Surely, that must break EU or even international laws. That is bribery of the cruellest kind. No other country in the world, democratic or not, has such a policy in place - and it is certainly not the way to tackle illegal immigration or people smuggling. The pledge is part of the PP's maternity plan to boost childbirth figures in an ageing Spain but it surely can't be allowed to fly.

Yes, it will appeal to a niche sector of the electorate but, as the PP sidesteps closer to the extreme right in its bid to out do Vox, it is appealing to fewer and fewer voters and its hard line will only cost the party votes and the general elections next month.

So concerned is Casado, who, it is said, is being conducted by former PP Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar from the wings, that he has officially asked Vox not to field candidates in small constituencies amidst fears of losing votes. Talk about desperate.