Opinion polls show Vox’s rise in support among young voters in recent years, a trend that has long worried the left and that Movimiento Smar will work to reverse with the rest of Congress. The formation of supporters of Vice President Yolanda Díaz will draw up a roadmap for the next election cycle and update internal documents at a political meeting likely to be held on November 22, two weeks before the start of the campaign in Extremadura. As a source in the party leadership confirmed to EL PAÍS, some of the strategic priorities include political reconnection with young people, tackling access to housing, fighting for life expectancy (through measures such as time management regulations already handled by the Ministry of Labor), fighting the climate emergency, and “democratizing” technology.
The latest 40dB Barometer shows Vox as the most popular party in the 18-24 age group. Santiago Abascal’s party has the highest share of voters here compared to other parties. 31% of the youngest people choose ultras, compared to 5% of the Sumal party, second only to other nationalist parties and ahead of Podemos (1%). Among 25- to 34-year-olds, the percentage choosing Vox drops to 23%, below the percentage of those who are unsure or say no. The addition remains at 3%.
However, the party says, “Die Linke’s comeback in the German general election and Zoran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City election make it clear that there are young people willing to fight for change and change in a progressive sense.” In recent months, young people in Spain have also been rallying around issues such as Palestine and housing shortages. Movimiento Smar proposes to formulate an “intervention proposal” for this group of residents at a November meeting. “In order for young people to become socially, politically and electorally active, it is necessary to challenge them with strategies tailored to their needs, concerns and role in society, in a context where they are deprived of the horizon of a desirable future,” the party believes, but has not announced more concrete measures at this time.
Two areas of activity
Furthermore, the organization distinguishes between two areas of activity: institutions and civil society. They explain that this includes not only using the presence of coalition governments and parliaments to “accelerate public policy,” “assess” what has been achieved, and hold “open national debates,” but also “adopting a door-to-door approach to working” and “creating synergies” with different actors and expressions of civil society mobilized to “build stable alliances.” “This political conference will allow Movimiento Smar to fine-tune its structure for the final stages of parliament. We intend to use every space of institutional power to move the country forward,” defends Lara Hernández, general coordinator of the MS.
The Political Conference will always look to the medium and long term and analyze, study and work on projects for the “next decade”, without forgetting the other two fundamental tasks: the protection of democratic rights and redistributive policies to combat inequalities from the cradle.
The planned meeting in Madrid will be held ahead of Extremadura’s regional elections, but the organization has little presence and is likely to provide external support to the candidates made up of Podemos, Izquierda Unida and Alianza Verde. It will also take place during alliance negotiations in Castilla y León and Andalusia, and while Podemos is currently absent, Díaz’s group is expected to attend.
About The Author
