Madrid, Apr. 22, (dpa/GNA) – Spanish Basque separatists are celebrating an historic parliamentary election victories, with the two parties in favour of independence for the northern Spanish region receiving 54 of the 75 seats in the parliament – more than ever before.
However, the governing coalition between the conservative Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), one of the parties that favours Basque independence, and the country’s ruling Socialists (PSOE) of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will continue to rule.
This is because the PNV has ruled out governing with the other party that favours independence – the left-wing alliance EH Bildu. It and the PNV each won 27 seats in Sunday’s vote, according to electoral authorities.
The PNV and the PSOE, which have governed the region since 2016, have an absolute majority of 39 members of parliament – two less than before.
Despite the PNV’s unwillingness to govern with the EH Bildu, some are worried in Spain.
“EH Bildu is becoming the alternative to power and is opening up a worrying scenario,” commented the renowned daily newspaper El Mundo.
“Never before in the history of democracy has nationalism been so strong in the Basque Country,” wrote the newspaper ABC.
In front of cheering supporters chanting “independence, independence,” EH-Bildu lead candidate Pello Otxandiano shouted on election night: “This is spectacular…We are on the right track. We are making progress, and fast.”
The various separatist parties in the conflict region of Catalonia congratulated the 41-year-old engineer on his success.
On May 12, the new parliament in Barcelona will be elected. Sánchez’s minority government is dependent on cooperation with all separatists there.
With 27 seats, EH Bildu achieved by far the best result in the history of the alliance and also in the history of its predecessor parties.
One of the reasons the party is controversial is its refusal to label the former Basque underground organization ETA as “terrorist.” It calls it an “armed group” instead.
Like EH Bildu, which has former members of the disbanded terrorist organization ETA in its ranks, the PNV also seeks more self-determination for the region from the central government in Madrid, but is less radical in its approach.
Iñigo Urkullu also has a nationalist orientation, but is less radical.
Urkullu, 62, who has been in power since 2012, no longer presented himself as the leading candidate this time. He will most likely be replaced as prime minister by his party colleague Imanol Pradales, 49, if the PNV and PSOE agree to continue the coalition as expected.
The underground group “Euskadi Ta Askatasuna” (ETA), which translates as “Basque Country and Freedom,” was founded in 1959. It fought for an independent Basque Country for decades, carrying out some 3,000 attacks in which 857 people died and 2,600 were injured.
It was considered a terrorist organization by Spain, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and the European Union. It continued its fight even after the end of the Spanish dictatorship of Francisco Franco in 1975.
The organization announced its dissolution in 2018. The Basque Country is now one of the most prosperous of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions, which correspond to the German federal states.GNA