Ortega Smith leaves Vox parliamentary group, accuses Abascal of betraying party

Javier Ortega Smith has left Vox's parliamentary group in the Spanish Congress and moved to the Mixed Group, accusing party leader Santiago Abascal of 'kidnapping' the party and betraying its founding principles. The decision, announced on 17 July 2026, reduces Vox's congressional group from 33 to 32 deputies Source: El Español.

The accusations

In a public letter to Abascal, Ortega Smith claimed the party is 'secuestrado por la inamovible cúpula dirigente' and that the leadership has 'traicionado nuestros valores y nuestras ideas' Source: ABC.es. He criticized the lack of internal democracy, saying 'congresos extraordinarios que no habéis querido convocar, las asambleas siempre bien controladas' and that the party machine brands critics as 'disidentes' Source: Infobae. Ortega Smith warned that many others will leave, motivated by 'decisiones e indecisiones' of the leader Source: El Mundo.

The context

Ortega Smith was expelled from Vox in April 2026 after defying an order to leave his post as spokesperson in the Madrid City Council Source: La Vanguardia. His letter was reportedly modeled on the one Abascal sent to Mariano Rajoy in 2013 when quitting the PP Source: El Confidencial. Despite leaving the parliamentary group, he keeps his seat and his party membership card number six, stating: 'No rompo un carné, no reniego de mi pasado' Source: El Español.