People’s Party Rebuke Vox Politician’s Views On Violence Against Women

Peoples Party (PP) leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has denounced Vox politician José María Llanos’ statement that male violence against women does not exist. Along with the PP representative in Valencia, he spoke out against the statement yesterday, June 16.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo posted this on Twitter saying: “Gender violence exists and every murder of a woman shocks us as a society. From @ppopular we will not take a step back in the fight against this scourge. We are not going to give up our principles, whatever it costs us.”

La violencia de género existe y cada asesinato de una mujer nos conmociona como sociedad.

Desde el @ppopular no daremos ni un paso atrás en la lucha contra esta lacra.

No vamos a renunciar a nuestros principios, cueste lo que nos cueste.https://t.co/kbhtPgTV6y

— Alberto Núñez Feijóo (@NunezFeijoo) June 16, 2023

There seems to be something lost in the semantics as José María Llanos’ of the right-wing nationalist Vox party originally was quoted by Ser as saying in a declaration to TVE: “Macho violence does not exist”, which he later retracted.

Llanos posted on Twitter saying: “I would like to rectify and condemn all types of violence against women, including sexist violence. What I deny is the existence of gender violence. We will fight to eradicate all types of violence and offer a legal framework that allows us to protect all victims.”

Me gustaría rectificar y condenar todo tipo de violencia contra la mujer, incluida la machista, lo que niego es la existencia de la violencia de género.

Lucharemos por erradicar todo tipo de violencia y por ofrecer un marco jurídico que nos permita proteger a todas las víctimas.

— José María Llanos (@JoseMa_Llanos) June 16, 2023

This denial of ‘gender’ violence sits alongside the conservative right’s general view that denies people a right to self-identify in terms of gender. The statement however, says that Llanos condemns ‘all types of violence’ with a pledge of protection for all victims.

Feijóo responded to Llanos’ comments on Twitter saying: “We are not going to give up our principles, whatever it costs us,” as the Peoples Party look to consolidate their position in the conservative centre ground ahead of this summer’s snap general election.

Carlos Mazón who represents the People’s Party in Valencia, where José María Llanos represents Vox, has backed up his party leader on Twitter saying:

“Gender violence and violence do exist. It is a scourge against which I will not stop fighting. The Government that he presides over is not only not going to back down, but will reinforce any protection measure for women against any form of violence.”

La violencia de género y la violencia sí existen. Es una lacra contra la que no voy a dejar de luchar. El Gobierno que presida no solo no va a dar un paso atrás, sino que reforzará cualquier medida de protección sobre la mujer contra cualquier forma de violencia.

— Carlos Mazón (@carlos_mazon_) June 16, 2023

The forthcoming elections will establish whether Vox has made a misstep. They may yet reconfirm their position, but even if they maintain their current stance they are likely to retain their support from voters who share their views on gender and sexuality.