Basque parliament votes for virtual independence
The Basque parliament has approved a proposal for virtual independence from Spain, with last-minute support from a formerly-banned party seen as the political wing of the separatist group ETA.
The plan poses the stiffest challenge to the Spanish central government since the Basque region became semi-autonomous 25 years ago.
The region will now begin a six-month period of negotiations with the central government. If ETA violence ceases, the Basques plan to hold a regional referendum on the proposal, regardless of whether the Madrid government accepts it.
The Basque parliament approved the plan by 39 votes to 35 yesterday, with three of the “yes” votes coming from Socialista Abertzaleak, considered the successor to the Batasuna party which was banned last year by the Supreme Court on the grounds it was part of ETA.
Unexpectedly, Socialista Abertzaleak said three of its six politicians would back the proposals.
Earlier, the party had opposed the plan, saying it did not go far enough towards full independence.
The plan seeks to amend the 1978 charter that granted the Basque region broad autonomy as a “free state” associated with Spain.
Like other autonomous regions in Spain – notably Catalonia around Barcelona - the Basques have control over their revenues, police, schools, health care and other public services. The Basque language, once suppressed, is now co-official with Spanish in the region.
The blueprint plan, masterminded by regional President Juan Jose Ibarretxe, would give the wealthy northern region even more say in running its affairs, such as by establishing its own court system and representation in international bodies like the European Union.
Spain’s two main parties – the governing Socialists and opposition Popular Party – have opposed the plan and said it would lead to secession, which is banned by the national constitution.
For decades the Basque region has suffered violence by the armed separatist group ETA, which has claimed more than 800 lives since the late 1960s in its campaign for an independent homeland in territory straddling northern Spain and south-western France.
“We are not at all willing to accept a situation of violence and political stalemate,” Ibarretxe told the 75-seat Basque parliament at the start of the debate.
“The essence of democracy and the key to the solution is the right of the Basque people to decide their own future.”
Ibarretxe’s Basque Nationalist Party dominates the region’s minority coalition government that controls 36 seats in the legislature.
