The Partido Popular and Spain’s Policy toward the Maghreb Region

• Main Author: Irene Fernández Molina
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB) 2007-12-01
• Series: Revista CIDOB d'Afers Internacionals
• Subjects: Spain; Maghreb; foreign policy; Morocco; political parties
• Online Access: http://www.cidob.org/es/content/download/6545/65455/file/fernandez_79_80.pdf

As an actor in Spain’s foreign policy toward the Maghreb region, in the years following its founding, the Partido Popular did not have a clear model to follow on the issue, as a result of which the party adopted the general lines of the Socialist party’s approach anddiscourse on the promotion of economic development and stability in the region. The initial continuism of José María Aznar’s governments in this field was also driven by an economicsinspired pragmatism. The turning point took place in the final stretch of Aznar’s secondterm of office, with the international repercussions from the september 11 attacks, the crisis with Morocco, Aznar’s increasing presidential style of government and the ideologisation of the government’s foreign policy. After losing power and moving over to the opposition, both the PP and its social environment experienced a certain bifurcation between the discourses of an eminently realist sector and another sector that was more influenced by US neo-conservatism.