Spanish far-right party Vox fined for illegal financing

Spain's Court of Auditors said on Wednesday it has slapped the far-right Vox party with a fine of more than €860,000 for accepting anonymous cash donations.

The court said a review of the party's annual accounts for 2018, 2019 and 2020 shows Vox "received or accepted unidentified donations in cash" during this period, calling it a "very serious breach" of the country's party financing laws.

In response it said it fined Vox €862,496 ($979,000), a move the party said it would appeal.

Vox called the ruling "unjust", saying in a statement that "on other occasions the Court of Auditors has closed identical cases".

Founded in 2013 by former members of the mainstream conservative Popular Party, Vox is anti-Muslim, nationalist, anti-feminist, Eurosceptic, socially conservative and economically liberal.

It has been the third-largest party in Spain's parliament since 2019 but has never held power at the national level.