Women, Antifeminism, and Platforms: The Discourses of Misogyny| Gender in VOX’s Ideology: Legitimization Strategy or Central Category?

Abstract

According to Mudde’s (2007) classic definition, gender does not belong to the characteristic ideological core of far-right parties; it solely responds to a strategy of legitimizing their nativistic antiimmigration agenda. More recently, however, some studies indicate that gender is becoming increasingly central in far-right ideology and point at the need for more research. This article analyzes the keys to VOX’s discourse on gender to see to what extent it fits Mudde’s definition or whether, on the contrary, gender is a central ideological category for this Spanish far-right party. For this purpose, this article explores interventions in Congress of Deputies during 2020 and 2021. The analysis reveals a strategic use of gender to legitimize its restrictive proposals concerning immigration and, above all, shows gender as a central cross-cutting issue in the three ideological characteristics of the far-right identified by Mudde. Perhaps the marginal place Mudde gave to gender explains the scarcity of empirical studies on the role of gender values in voting for the radical right. Paying more attention to this aspect could expand the understanding of the factors that have driven the growth of the far-right globally, particularly in Europe. Ultimately, it contributes to explaining the relationship between populism and gender in European far-right parties.