Thousands of people, mainly women, protested outside of Andalusia’s regional parliament yesterday against a deal to bring a conservative government to power in Spain’s most populous region with support from an anti-feminist far-right party.
The demonstrators chanted “Our rights are not negotiable” as they assembled outside of the parliament building in Seville, the regional capital, in response to a call from feminist groups.
Many wore purple or waved purple – a colour long associated with gender equality.
While they protested outside, the conservative candidate to head Andalusia’s government, the Popular Party’s Juan Moreno, delivered his investiture speech inside the assembly.
The Andalusian parliament is poised to endorse a new government headed by Moreno with the votes of the market-friendly Ciudadanos party and Vox, which sent shockwaves through Spain after winning a surprise 12 seats in Andalusia’s parliament in a regional election last month.
It was the first time that a far-right party has won representation in a Spanish regional parliament since the country returned to democracy after the death of longtime dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.
Andalusia has been governed for the past 36 years by the Socialist party, which also rules at the national level.
Vox wants tough laws protecting women from gender violence and has called for the national health service to cease paying for abortions.
It also backs a crackdown on illegal migration.
Women’s rights groups members shout slogans during their protest in Seville against the Andalusia government.
