The Political Values Network, a multinational far-right organization against abortion, “radical feminism,” and “gender ideology,” has chosen Madrid for the sixth edition of its so-called “transatlantic summit,” which will take place in two months. A public institution, specifically the Senate, will host the event, making the Upper House a “collaborating entity” of an association that considers abortion “the murder of innocents” and supports the approval of “fetal heartbeat laws.” These laws, which are promoted by the most radical Republican states in the United States, prohibit abortion once cardiac activity can be detected in the embryo, around the sixth week of pregnancy, when many women may not even know they are pregnant. The Political Values Network’s website presents the Senate as a “collaborating entity,” along with a group of anti-abortion associations from Europe and the United States.
The Senate, through an official spokesperson, downplays its role in the summit, stating that it simply provided a room at no public cost. The decision to host the event was made unanimously by the Senate’s board, which includes four members of the majority party, the PP, and three members of the PSOE. The Socialist Group claims that their support for the room reservation was due to “lack of knowledge” about the event and its organizers. Following the publication of this information, the Socialist Group announced that they had filed a motion of protection to request the suspension of the event, as it benefits an organization that seeks to “divide” and is not suitable for an institution that should represent everyone. The summit is scheduled for December 2 and will be led by the far-right Chilean leader José Antonio Kast, who views abortion as a right to kill and a brutal crime.
Among the confirmed speakers for the summit are Brian Brown, the president of the International Organization for the Family, and the former Spanish Interior Minister Jaime Mayor Oreja, who leads NEOS, a platform of Spanish anti-abortion Catholic groups. Both Brown and Mayor Oreja are members of the board of the Political Values Network, an organization that opposes abortion and advocates for traditional family values. The summit will also feature speakers from Hungary, France, Colombia, Argentina, the United States, Uganda, and Kenya. The summit has sparked concern among human rights advocates who warn against the promotion of retrogressive ideas in a democratic institution like the Senate.
The Political Values Network is known for its staunch opposition to LGBT rights, abortion, and gender equality. Their summit in Madrid has been endorsed by various organizations affiliated with conservative and far-right ideologies from different countries. The decision to host the summit at the Senate in Madrid has raised questions about the institution’s involvement with extremist groups and their agendas. Critics argue that the summit promotes harmful and regressive policies that go against the principles of equality, human rights, and democracy.
In response to the backlash, the Senate clarified that their involvement in the summit is limited to providing a room for the event and that no members of the board will be attending. The decision to host the summit was made unanimously by the Senate’s board, which includes members from both the ruling party, the PP, and the opposition party, the PSOE. The Political Values Network has pointed out that they have previously held events in other prestigious institutions, such as the United Nations, the European Parliament, and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The summit in Madrid is part of a series of international gatherings organized by the Political Values Network to promote their conservative agenda and rally support for their causes.
