The man that polls suggest could be the next Prime Minister of Spain has proposed bolstering sentences for sex offenders, including deporting foreigners who commit sexual crimes.
The leader of Spain’s centre-right opposition People’s Party (PP) has stated that if he becomes Prime Minister his government will deport foreign sex offenders.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo recently presented four key proposals for a possible PP government focused on the safety and protection of women.
Speaking at the PP headquarters in Madrid to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Feijóo stated that “if the offender is Spanish, prison sentences will be increased, and if they are a foreigner, they will also be expelled from Spain”.
Though unconfirmed, reporting in the Spanish press suggests this could be done independently of legal and residency status, and comes amid escalating anti-immigration rhetoric in Spain in recent months with far-right party Vox surging in the polls and pushing the debate rightward.
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The thrust of the proposals are harsher sentences for so-called “crimes against sexual freedom”, which though relatively non-specific, in the case of foreigners will see deportation if the PP takes power.
Polls suggest that the ruling Socialist (PSOE) Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will lose the next general election, slated for 2027 in Spain, and the Spanish right-wing bloc will take power in some form.
That means there’s a real possibility of the PP being forced into a coalition with the far-right, whether formally or informally. Vox has in recent years stepped up its anti-migrant rhetoric, calling for the deportation of millions of immigrants and banning Islamic events in public spaces at a local level.
Ever since recent polls showed the PP is losing a considerable share of votes to far-right party Vox, the PP has begun to portray his party as one that will address the concerns of Spaniards who are worried about immigration in the country, calling for, among other measures, a points-based immigration system, a ‘commitment letter’ to be signed by migrants, and crackdowns on those who overstay their visa or residency.
Feijóo also added to this series of proposals the repeal of the controversial and backfiring “only yes means yes” sexual consent law and its replacement with “legislation that truly protects and supports women”.
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Among other measures he also called for an audit to review the anti-abuse surveillance and control system after technical faults have plagued the system.
The opposition leader has also pledged to pass a comprehensive law on human trafficking because “it continues to be one of the worst forms of violence against women”, he said.
Feijóo was keen to remember sex scandals involving his political opponents in left-wing parties, referencing embarrassing connections for the Socialists to both Íñigo Errejón’s party and the disgraced former PSOE Minister José Luis Ábalos currently under investigation for corruption.
READ MORE: Spain’s PP calls for points-based visa system for foreigners
