Spain’s far-right Vox rallies behind France’s Le Pen after poll ban, two year old killed in gang crossfire in western Spain and more news on Tuesday April 1st.
Spain’s far-right Vox rallies behind France’s Le Pen after poll ban
Prominent European far-right and nationalist figures as well as Donald Trump and Elon Musk on Monday rallied around Marine Le Pen after a French court sentenced her to a five-year ban on running for office.
Le Pen was convicted over a scheme to take advantage of European Parliament expenses to employ assistants who were actually working for her far-right party in France.
Trump compared Le Pen’s conviction to his own US legal battles, telling reporters Monday: “She was banned from running for five years and she was the leading candidate. That sounds like this country.”
Tesla’s billionaire owner Elon Musk, who has backed a far-right party in Germany and plays a major role in Trump’s administration, said the move would “backfire, like the legal attacks against President Trump”.
Spain’s far-right Vox leader Santiago Abascal also offered his support, saying: “They will never succeed to silence the voice of the French people”.
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Spain to make it harder for private universities to be set up
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that on Tuesday his government pass legislation to tighten the criteria for the creation of private universities, in order to put an end to “educational scams that fail to meet the standards required” of higher education.
“Universities cannot be degree-selling machines,” Sánchez said, warning that “we will pursue practices that undermine the prestige of our universities, both public and private, so that they meet quality standards and ensure the excellence of the professionals who care for and defend us.”
The number of private universities in Spain is close to surpassing public ones, educational centres which charges thousands of euros for degrees and Masters and are often criticised for easily giving university degrees to those who are willing to pay.
Man arrested for threatening to kill Valencian president
Spanish police have arrested a 30-year-old man in Valencia for threatening to kill Valencia’s regional president Carlos Mazón in several social media posts.
Mazón has faced countless calls to resign for his handling of the devastating floods in the eastern region last year which led to the death of 227 people.
Some of the social media messages posted by the man included “We Valencians are going to take your life. You’re dead” and “We’re going to shoot Mazón between the eyes. And whoever is at his side should be careful, because they will also pay”.
Two year old killed in gang crossfire in western Spain
A two-year-old girl has died after being injured in a shootout between two families from feuding clans in the San Lázaro neighbourhood of the Cáceres town of Plasencia.
The other victim of the shooting is a 25-year-old woman who was hit in the foot by a gunshot.
Nine people have been arrested in connection with the incident that occurred early on Sunday morning.
