A surging far-right movement in Spain—more coordinated, violent, and internationally connected—is now threatening the country’s democratic foundations. A new report from GPAHE reveals a growing ecosystem of extremist actors: far-right political parties, neo-Nazi fight clubs, and anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ+ networks operating across the country. These groups glorify Franco’s fascist legacy, incite hate against immigrants and marginalized communities, and are increasingly infiltrating mainstream institutions—from courts to classrooms. While some march openly with fascist salutes, others build influence more quietly through disinformation, legal harassment, and youth recruitment. Others are deeply connected to transnational anti-LGBTQ+ networks.
The following outlines 10 key insights into these movements and their global ties to far-right extremism.
1. Fascist Foundations Still Shape Spain’s Present
Spanish far-right movements are rooted in a long history of state violence and religious nationalism, from the Inquisition and the expulsion of Jews and Muslims to Franco’s fascist regime. The legacy of Francoism remains a motivator for the far right, with monuments still standing and groups actively glorifying his dictatorship—offering fertile ground for today’s far-right resurgence.
Although the 2007 Law of Historical Memory aimed to remove Francoist symbols, enforcement has been inconsistent, and new far-right actors have defended Franco as a patriotic leader. This unresolved past gives far-right groups a framework to present their authoritarian worldview as a continuation of Spain’s “true” national identity.
2. The Far Right is Deeply Transnational
Many Spanish far-right organizations work across borders. Organizations like CitizenGO, Political Network for Values, and the political party Vox, are part of international anti-rights coalitions linking U.S. Christian Nationalists, Hungarian ultraconservatives, and Latin American theocrats. These groups promote global campaigns against LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and migrant communities.
These alliances are not merely symbolic—they fund events, exchange strategies, and have created a shared ideological infrastructure. For example, Spanish groups such as Political Network for Values have helped promote Hungary’s far-right agenda in EU debates and at the UN, while U.S. groups have supported Spanish campaigns against sex education and transgender rights.
3. Neo-Nazi Groups Operate with Relative Impunity
Violent neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups such as Democracia Nacional, Facta España, and Núcleo Nacional are active across Spain, promoting Holocaust denial, the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, anti-immigrant violence, and “remigration.” With extremist rhetoric and calls to racial purity, these groups spread antisemitism and other forms of hate widely. Anti-immigrant groups have led violent campaigns to “hunt” down non-white immigrants, spreading fear across whole communities.
4. Hate Crime is Rising—and Often Organized
Nearly 2,300 hate crimes were reported in Spain in 2023, with racism, xenophobia, and anti-LGBTQ+ motivations leading the list. These crimes are increasingly coordinated through far-right online spaces. The 2025 Torre Pacheco attacks, in which far-right Telegram channels were used to incite four days of violence in a heavily immigrant community, underscores the convergence of digital organizing and real-world violence.
Victims often report that perpetrators feel emboldened, and under-reporting remains high, especially among undocumented migrants and trans communities.
5. Far-Right Politics Is Fueling Extremism
The rise of the Vox political party has helped normalize once-marginal far-right narratives. Vox’s leadership has ties to extremist actors, and its affiliated groups—such as the union Solidaridad and the legal group Abogados Cristianos—have pursued campaigns against LGBTQ+ rights, feminist organizations, and even journalists. Electoral legitimacy has given cover to broader anti-democratic currents.
Vox’s discourse frequently overlaps with hate group rhetoric, such as claims that Spain is suffering from “gender totalitarianism” or being “invaded” by Muslim migrants. Its presence in regional governments has led to budget cuts for women’s shelters and diversity education, directly impacting vulnerable populations.
6. Historical Hatreds Still Thriving
Far-right groups continue to traffic in antisemitic conspiracy theories, and Islamophobia. Spain’s dark history—from the Great Gypsy Round-Up to the expulsion of Muslims—is being reimagined by extremists who cast Muslims and immigrants as invaders and enemies of the Spanish nation.
Some groups frame their hate speech as a “defense of Christian Europe,” echoing a narrative seen in the U.S., France, and Hungary. This worldview legitimizes calls for mass deportations and violence, feeding into the transnational “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory.
7. Extremists Are Actively Targeting Youth
White supremacist groups like Facta España are recruiting young Spaniards through social media, gyms, and “masculinity” training programs. Organizations like Hacer Nación and Núcleo Nacional glorify violence, promote nationalist mythology, and offer a sense of belonging through paramilitary-like discipline and fascist symbolism.
These groups tap into online subcultures like gaming forums, meme pages, and men’s rights communities. Through humor and aesthetics, they mask their radical ideology as a lifestyle or fitness movement, making it harder for parents, educators, and law enforcement to recognize the threat early.
8. Mainstream Institutions Are Being Co-Opted
Extremist messaging has found a place in civil society, the judicial system, and education. Organizations with far-right agendas are using lawsuits to harass teachers, journalists, LGBTQ+ activists, and women’s rights groups. Some municipalities, under Vox or far-right coalition rule, have begun rolling back protections and visibility for minority communities.
In some cases, local governments have banned pride flags or removed plaques honoring victims of Francoism. Strategic litigation is used to silence dissent and create a climate where educators and civil servants fear retaliation for promoting human rights.
9. Disinformation Is a Core Weapon
Far-right networks in Spain have mastered the use of disinformation, flooding social media with racist hoaxes, gender ideology panic, and anti-refugee conspiracies. These narratives are often amplified by influencers and politicians, fueling moral panic and laying the groundwork for policy rollbacks and street-level aggression.
Online tech platforms serve as echo chambers where misinformation spreads unchecked, with disinformation metastasizing before the facts come to light.
10. The Threat Is Growing and Underestimated
The reach of far-right groups—online and offline—is expanding, as is their ability to build international partnerships. GPAHE warns that Spain’s far-right landscape is evolving, better connected, and more sophisticated than many are aware. A concerted effort to counter these movements is required to protect communities and democracy.
