Isabel the Catholic
Isabel Díaz Ayuso aligns her ideological stance with Giorgia Meloni, promoting Spain as a country rooted in 'Christian tradition' and warning against the threat of Islamic influence in Europe.
In a recent speech, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the President of the Community of Madrid, draws parallels between Spain and Italy, asserting that both nations define themselves through a 'Christian tradition' steeped in 'Greco-Latin' heritage. She emphasizes a perceived existential threat to Western civilization if these so-called values are abandoned, specifically highlighting what she describes as a 'totalitarian and theocratic project' embodied in the Islamization of Europe. This rhetoric aligns with a broader right-wing narrative that seeks to frame immigration and cultural shifts as direct threats to national identity.
Ayuso further claims that the Christian culture, which she identifies as having Hellenistic roots, is 'millennial' and has historically championed individual freedoms and equality for all, regardless of gender. This perspective is presented in a manner that links contemporary political struggles to historical narratives, seemingly suggesting that the principles of the Crusades could be invoked to justify modern-day policies and ideologies. Her approach pits a romanticized vision of history against current multicultural realities.
The implications of Ayuso's dialogue are significant, as they not only mark a continuation of invoking historical narratives to appeal to contemporary voters but also signal a possible rise in nationalist and exclusionary policies in Spain and across Europe. By framing the current cultural landscape in such stark terms, Ayuso and similar leaders may further polarize public opinion and exacerbate tensions surrounding immigration and secularism in an increasingly diverse Europe.