Alejandro Vidal-Quadras, a veteran Spanish politician, was hospitalized following a shooting incident in Madrid, as confirmed by local police on Thursday. The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. local time on a central street in the capital, where Vidal-Quadras was reportedly shot in the face but remained conscious while being transported to the hospital.
The Spanish state news agency EFE cited police sources who suspect the assailant fled the scene on a motorcycle, wearing a black helmet. No arrests have been made yet, and police are actively investigating the shooting.
78-year-old Vidal-Quadras is a prominent figure in Spanish politics, having been a longstanding member of the conservative Popular Party and serving as its regional leader in Catalonia. He also held a seat in the European Parliament. His political journey saw him part ways with the Popular Party due to disagreements with then Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, leading to his involvement in the founding of the far-right Vox party. He left Vox after an unsuccessful bid for a European lawmaker seat in 2014.
Vox President Santiago Abascal commented on the incident, indicating that Vidal-Quadras was not in critical danger. Popular Party President Alberto Núñez Feijóo and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also expressed their concern and wishes for Vidal-Quadras’ recovery. Sánchez conveyed his sentiments on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
Although Vidal-Quadras has not been actively involved in politics for some years, he has continued to maintain a public presence through his role as a media commentator and columnist. His tenure as vice president for the European Parliament was marked by a keen interest in foreign affairs, particularly in the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
