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Veteran Spanish politician ambushed and shot in the face in Madrid, authorities say

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Police are investigating the shooting
Police are investigating the shooting. Picture: Alamy/@EmergenciasMad
Kieran Kelly

By Kieran Kelly

Veteran Spanish right-wing politician Alejandro Vidal-Quadras has been taken to hospital in Madrid after being shot in the face, local police have said.

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The 78-year-old was shot in a central street in the capital at about 1.30pm local time and conscious when taken to hospital, police added.

Mr Vidal-Cuadras was a long-time member of Spain's conservative Popular Party, its regional leader in Catalonia.

He was a European Parliament member before he broke away to help found the far-right Vox party.

Police are investigating the shooting
Police are investigating the shooting. Picture: @EmergenciasMad/X

He left Vox just after a failed bid to win a European seat in 2014.

Police are investigating the shooting.

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No arrests have been made at this stage.

Alejo Vidal Quadras
Alejo Vidal Quadras. Picture: Alamy
Forensic police staff members investigate after former leader of the main Spanish right-wing party
Forensic police staff members investigate after former leader of the main Spanish right-wing party. Picture: Getty

The current Vox president Santiago Abascal said he believed the party founder's life was not in immediate danger.

"Thank God it seems that Alejandro Vidal-Quadras is out of danger," Abascal said.