ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to briefly place the surge and growth of VOX within the wider Spanish electoral context. After describing the Spanish party system and its electoral cycles since the restoration of democracy in 1977, it focuses on the origins of VOX and its electoral success in recent elections. Although the last years have been politically wise turbulent, the truth is that politics in Spain are better characterized by the term stability than by change. Subnational parties retained and even increased their presence in the Spanish Congress in this cycle, further contributing to the fragmentation of the Spanish party system. VOX was officially founded in December 2013 and presented to the press in January 2014 with the intention of competing in the forthcoming European elections of May 2014. Catalan separatist leaders underwent trial for misuse of public funds, disobedience, and either sedition or rebellion, depending on the case.
