Spain’s populist VOX party led the charge as the El Casar town council voted to suspend a Moroccan-state-backed Arabic language scheme in schools.
A local council in mainland Spain has voted to suspend the Arabic Language and Moroccan Culture Program currently offered in several schools across the region.
The motion, presented by the VOX Municipal Group of the El Casar council, was approved during the most recent plenary session with support from both VOX and the Partido Popular (PP).
As reported by La Crónic, the measure passed with seven votes in favor — comprising VOX and PP councillors — against five votes from the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and Unidas por El Casar. One PSOE councillor also abstained.
VOX’s spokeswoman in El Casar, Olga González, defended the motion by invoking a need to protect Spain’s cultural identity. “The initiative responds to the defense of Spanish cultural identity and the need for the public education system to remain free of foreign interference and ideologies alien to our roots,” she said.