Santiago Abascal knows how to talk to his audience. He's not building bridges, but he's putting up barricades. His speech during Europe Viva 2025 was not so much a message of politics as an thought manifesto – full of emotions, accusations and calls for action. In the eyes of many of his sympathizers, this was not a speech, but the start of a fresh phase in the fight for Europe.
Already in the beginning, Abascal pointed out that he did not talk for himself. It presents itself as the voice of millions of citizens who have been denied the chance to decide their own fate:
"We are here to be the voice of millions of Europeans and Spaniards who want to regain their right to decide their future."
There are no generalities about democracy or debate – there is simply a tough declaration: it is about getting back what was taken. Abascal consistently builds a division into “us” and “their”: nations versus elites, average people versus the system.
The subject of the speech is the conference's slogan – “The reconquist begins”. However, it is not just a mention to the past of Spain. Abascal uses this word as a metaphor for the return of the right to political and cultural dominance in Europe.
"For a long time the voices of the peoples of Europe and the Western planet have been taken away, their will is perverted and their representations removed, their legal representatives persecuted."
This conviction summarizes the full VOX narrative: nations are betrayed by their own institutions, and their political representatives – marginalized or even repressed. VOX does not effort to enter the system. VOX wants to exposure and replace him.
The speech did not deficiency emotion and moments of pathetic, frequently reinforced with simple, repetitive phrases. erstwhile Abascal talks about the future, he does it in almost military language:
“We have a lot to say together, we have a lot to say, we have everything to defend and everything to win.”
It's an offensive declaration, not rhetorical, but real. It's not about defending conservative values anymore, it's about rebuilding them. Hence the "reconquist". peculiar attention is paid to the death of young activist Charlie Kirk – an event that gained a symbolic dimension in Abasca's speech. Abascal speaks of him as the victim of “hateful of patriots” and deficiency of freedom of speech at universities.
"They cannot stand free debate at universities. Neither academic authority nor globalist left. That's why they killed him.”
This is simply a very strong accusation: direct, emotional, hard to ignore. For the public VOX is not a controversy, but a confirmation that the strategy is capable of anything to keep power.
In the face of specified a threat, Abasca leaves no uncertainty as to the firmness of his movement:
“Neither their hatred nor their power nor their lies will defeat the will of the patriots. They will not halt us.”
At another point, he emphasizes that media attacks and accusations do not only harm VOX, but are indeed a origin for pride:
"They say VOX is simply a national-Catholic party, racist, homophobic, climatic, negative, taunting force against women. But we already told you six years ago that we wear these insults like medals on our chests.”
This is simply a classical process of identity policy: transforming the charge into a symbol of force. The sharper the attacks, the greater the satisfaction. VOX is not afraid to be hated, he expects it.
Another point of the speech was that the actions of the current authorities (both in Spain and in Brussels) were not mistakes, but betrayal. Abascal leaves no area for compromise:
“We are not liars, we are not corrupt, we are not cowards. There are adequate for this kind of people.”
It's a clear setting in the counterto the alleged system. VOX is to be a “party of truth” – the only 1 who says what others are afraid of. Abascala's speech is not a dialog with his opponents, but an appeal to his own; to those who feel they have been betrayed, abandoned, and elevated by the elite. For them VOX is to be not only a political party, but a tool of redemption.
Migration, Islam and a informing against the “caliphate from Brussels”
If any passage of Santiago Abascal's speech can be described as a political hammer, it is the part devoted to immigration and the Islamicization of Europe that deserves the name. The VOX leader does not avoid strong words. He's not trying to beat around the bush either. On the contrary, it aims at the very heart of the subject, which for a large part of its electorate is an inflammatory point.
Already at the beginning of this part he says clearly:
“Or they will leave, or they will force us a Caliphate from Brussels and bargain the future from our children, children of our children and grandchildren.”
There's no area for nuances. Abascal presents the threat as absolute: if it is not stopped, it will destruct European civilization. We are talking not only about physical danger, but about symbolic decline – failure of identity, freedom and generational continuity.
In the following sentences, he develops this thought, listing those who should be expelled from Spain and Europe:
“Get off those who have come to impose their religion above our law. Down with those who beat women. Down with those who proclaim their holy war. Down with those who want to put women under the hood. Down with those who advance mutilation of girls.”
This is simply a list of sins with which it is hard to argue: violence, spiritual fanaticism, contempt for women. Abascal knows that, in fact, he's gaining credibility. It avoids generics and alternatively lists practices that most of the society considers unacceptable. Thus he presents his communicative as common sense alternatively than extremist.
Importantly, he points out that his anger is not directed towards all migrants. On the contrary, he praises those who came legally and follow the rules:
"The first to celebrate these deportations with us are legal immigrants. Those who follow the rules and respect the country that accepted them.”
It's an crucial distinction. Abascal does not act against migrants as such, but against those who, in his opinion, abuse hospitality and disturb social order. This besides takes the weapons from critics who would like to accuse him of xenophobia. The rhetoric is based, not on origin, but on behavior.
The most controversial passage afraid organisations that rescued migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, especially the Open Arms ship, which Abascal openly attacked:
"Yes, it must be confiscated and sunk. No, we didn't accidentally say that. It wasn't a provocation. I repeat: confiscate and sink.”
It's not just provocation – it's an uncompromising message. Abascal leaves no area for doubt. If he ruled, specified actions could come into force. The criticism of non-governmental organisations, in his view, is not due to reluctance to help, but to the belief that they constitute a "migration industry".
To ease the controversy, he adds ironically:
“If they do not want to sink it, we can put it by the shore, but the another way – to drive those who must return to their country.”
This procedure has its effect: it strengthens the transmission of hard politics, but besides suggests an alternative, or deportations, not death. For VOX supporters, it is not brutality, but logic.
In the following part of the speech, Abasca presents a financial argument that, as he knows well, speaks to a broad group of voters:
"Maintaining 1 illegal immigrant costs Spanish more than caring for our seniors in a public nursing home." ... “It costs twice as much as keeping a Spanish soldier who should defend our borders.”
Here comes a strong contrast: alien versus ours, criminals versus seniors, immigrants versus soldiers. This is simply a classical rhetorical trick that works especially in a country where pensioners and young workers face advanced costs of living.
At the end of this part, the leader of VOX accuses state institutions of supporting the migration mafia, profiting from illegal influx of people:
“It is money that is mainly stolen from the weakest.”
Moral criticism ends here, and direct prosecution begins: the strategy not only defends citizens, but steals from them to finance its own fall. It's a powerful charge that hits susceptible ground.
Europe vs. elite – final speech and call for combat
Santiago Abascala's final speech was not a calming mood, but a further warming of them. After the strong passages of migration and Islamization, it is time for a harsh criticism of leftist elites, EU leaders and Western media. Abascal spoke of treachery, corruption, and even “a soy with terror”. His words had 1 goal: to undermine assurance in the current power structures and build support for a profound political change.
One of the strongest allegations was the proposition that the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, referred to ironically as ‘Border Palpatine’, acted in the interests of Islamists alternatively than citizens of the Union.
"I listened to her start her speech on the state of the Union, talking about the war in Ukraine and Gaza. They always have any war, any tragedy they request not to talk about their own corruption.”
This is simply a classical transfer of attention from global to local topics. Abascal suggests that global conflicts are utilized cynically as a smokescreen. This is simply a message that works peculiarly powerfully in times of war fatigue and inflation.
The words about the relations between the European elite and the Hamas organization sounded even harsher:
"The European Union feels close to the Muslim Brothers, which it never wants to punish. And it would be adequate for Hamas to release the hostages – it would end the war.”
It is clear to Abascal which European institutions should stand on: not on the side of the "Caliphate of Brussels", but on the side of Western civilization. His message does not accept compromises on this matter. VOX as almost all nationalist organization in the West stands on the side of Israel, and the Likud organization of Prime Minister Netanyahu is an observer at the Patriotic organization for Europe.
In the following part of the speech, Christians in Africa, whom Europe has forgotten:
"It is time for Europe to start defending Christians in Africa who are victims of permanent genocide at the hands of Islamists."
This is simply a thread seldom addressed in the mainstream, but effectively entering the communicative of the defence of the Christian roots of Europe. Abascal has consistently sided with the persecuted, suggesting that European elites stay silent due to political correctness or their own interests.
Strong words are besides made to the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, whom Abascal accuses directly:
"The president of the Spanish Government is Hamas' best ally in Europe. And that is frightening.” ... “He is simply a psychopath who occupies Monclaa Palace and despises his people.”
For some, it's not politics anymore, it's a brutal communicative war. However, for VOX sympathizers – this is proof that their leader is not afraid to say what many only think. This language transcends the limits of parliamentary debate – and that is why it works.
No little harsh were his words about China:
“It transmits our digital sovereignty to the Communist dictatorship of China. It is not politics – it is simply a criminal plan.”
Thus, Abascal fits into the global anti-communist, anti-Chinese rhetoric, close to Javier Milei or Donald Trump. VOX is not limited to Spain, but speaks the language of the global sovereign movement.
In the end of the speech, the leader of VOX goes to summary. He calls for a fight against the "three mafias" which he believes are destroying Europe:
"Migration mafia, Climate Mafia and Green Corruption Mafia is the reason why Europe is getting weaker."
In this construction, each of these “mafies” takes something distant from citizens: safety (migration), freedom (climate agenda), prosperity (green corruption). The full is closed in the logical structure of the "total problem", which can only solve a political earthquake.
"In the name of ecology, they ban fundamental freedoms: movement, nutrition, lifestyle. The government wants us to share our lives by decree.”
This is not just a criticism of climate policy. It's a presentation of her as a tool for social control. In the eyes of Abascal, and his constituents, the green revolution is simply a veil for centralization of power.
Finally, he returns to the beginning – to the conference's slogan:
‘The reconquist begins. Nothing, absolutely nothing will halt us.”
This isn't just the end of the speech. It is simply a declaration of offensive, frontal strategy, without compromise.
