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{{More citations needed|date=October 2012}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox political party
{{Infobox political party
|name = Basque Nationalist Party
| name = Basque Nationalist Party
|logo = File:EAJ-PNV.png
| logo = File:EAJ-PNV.png
|colorcode = {{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}
| colorcode = {{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}
|leader =
| leader =
|president = [[Andoni Ortuzar]]
| president = [[Andoni Ortuzar]]
|secretary_general =
| secretary_general =
|spokesperson =
| spokesperson =
|ideology = {{nowrap|[[Basque nationalism]]<br>[[Regionalism (politics)|Regionalism]]<br>[[Christian democracy]]<br>[[Social democracy]]<br>[[Conservative liberalism]]}}
| ideology = {{nowrap|[[Basque nationalism]]<br>[[Basque independence]]<br>[[Regionalism (politics)|Regionalism]]
[[Christian democracy]]<br>[[Social democracy]]<br>[[Conservative liberalism]]}}
|headquarters = [[Sabin Etxea]], Ibáñez de Bilbao, 16 <br>[[Bilbao]]
| headquarters = [[Sabin Etxea]], Ibáñez de Bilbao, 16 <br>[[Bilbao]]
|international = ''None'', previously [[Alliance of Democrats (political international)|Alliance of Democrats]]<ref>{{Citation |first=Xosé-Manoel |last=Nuñez |title=A State of Many Nations: The Construction of a Plural Spanish Society since 1976 |work=The Social Construction of Diversity |publisher=Berghahn Books |year=2003 |page=287}}<br>{{Citation |first1=Michael |last1=Keating |first2=John |last2=Loughlin |first3=Kris |last3=Deschouwer |title=Culture, Institutions, and Economic Development: A Study of Eight European Regions |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |year=2003 |page=55}}</ref>
| international = ''None'', previously [[Alliance of Democrats (political international)|Alliance of Democrats]]<ref>{{Citation |first=Xosé-Manoel |last=Nuñez |title=A State of Many Nations: The Construction of a Plural Spanish Society since 1976 |work=The Social Construction of Diversity |publisher=Berghahn Books |year=2003 |page=287}}<br>{{Citation |first1=Michael |last1=Keating |first2=John |last2=Loughlin |first3=Kris |last3=Deschouwer |title=Culture, Institutions, and Economic Development: A Study of Eight European Regions |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |year=2003 |page=55}}</ref>
|website = {{url|http://www.eaj-pnv.eus/}}
| website = {{url|http://www.eaj-pnv.eus/}}
|country = Spain
| country = Spain
|native_name = Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea (Basque)<br>Partido Nacionalista Vasco (Spanish)<br>Parti Nationaliste Basque (French)
| native_name = Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea (Basque)<br>Partido Nacionalista Vasco (Spanish)<br>Parti Nationaliste Basque (French)
|slogan =
| slogan =
|founder = [[Sabino Arana]]
| founder = [[Sabino Arana]]
|founded = {{Start date|1895}}
| founded = {{Start date|1895}}
|newspaper =
| newspaper =
|student_wing =
| student_wing =
|youth_wing = [[Euzko Gaztedi]]
| youth_wing = [[Euzko Gaztedi]]
|membership_year = 2019
| membership_year = 2019
|membership = 24,650<ref>[https://www.publico.es/politica/afiliados-partidos-atribuyen-ocho-veces-militantes-admiten-pagar-cuotas.html Los partidos se atribuyen ocho veces más militantes de los que admiten pagar cuotas.] Público, 28/07/2019.</ref>
| membership = 24,650<ref>[https://www.publico.es/politica/afiliados-partidos-atribuyen-ocho-veces-militantes-admiten-pagar-cuotas.html Los partidos se atribuyen ocho veces más militantes de los que admiten pagar cuotas.] Público, 28/07/2019.</ref>
|position = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ruiz Vieytez |first1=Eduardo |title=A New Political Status for the Basque Country? |journal=Journal on Ethnopolitics and Minority Issues in Europe |date=2013 |volume=12 |page=99 |access-date=30 April 2019 |quote=PNV is a pro-(Basque) sovereignty political party founded in 1895 and representing a wide political spectrum from centre-right to centre-left |url=https://www.ecmi.de/fileadmin/downloads/publications/JEMIE/2013/Ruiz.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327230425/http://www.ecmi.de/fileadmin/downloads/publications/JEMIE/2013/Ruiz.pdf |archive-date=27 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> to<br>[[Centre-right politics|centre-right]]<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mateos|first1=Araceli|last2=Penadés|first2=Alberto|title=España: crisis y recortes|journal=Revista de ciencia política (Santiago)|language=es|volume=33|number=1|page=175|year=2013|doi=10.4067/S0718-090X2013000100008|url=http://www.scielo.cl/pdf/revcipol/v33n1/art08.pdf|access-date=January 4, 2016|issn=0718-090X|quote=Convergencia i Unió (CiU) y el Partido Nacionalista Vasco (PNV-EAJ) son los partidos nacionalistas de centro-derecha en Cataluña y el País Vasco, respectivamente}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|chapter=Political parties|editor1=Gabriel Gatti|editor2=Ignacio Irazuzta|editor3=Iñaki Martínez de Albeniz|title=Basque Society: Structures, Institutions, and Contemporary Life|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMzBK_wWRPkC&pg=PA177|year=2005|publisher=University of Nevada Press|isbn=978-1-877802-25-6|page=177}}</ref>
| position = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ruiz Vieytez |first1=Eduardo |title=A New Political Status for the Basque Country? |journal=Journal on Ethnopolitics and Minority Issues in Europe |date=2013 |volume=12 |page=99 |access-date=30 April 2019 |quote=PNV is a pro-(Basque) sovereignty political party founded in 1895 and representing a wide political spectrum from centre-right to centre-left |url=https://www.ecmi.de/fileadmin/downloads/publications/JEMIE/2013/Ruiz.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327230425/http://www.ecmi.de/fileadmin/downloads/publications/JEMIE/2013/Ruiz.pdf |archive-date=27 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> to<br>[[Centre-right politics|centre-right]]<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mateos|first1=Araceli|last2=Penadés|first2=Alberto|title=España: crisis y recortes|journal=Revista de ciencia política (Santiago)|language=es|volume=33|number=1|page=175|year=2013|doi=10.4067/S0718-090X2013000100008|url=http://www.scielo.cl/pdf/revcipol/v33n1/art08.pdf|access-date=January 4, 2016|issn=0718-090X|quote=Convergencia i Unió (CiU) y el Partido Nacionalista Vasco (PNV-EAJ) son los partidos nacionalistas de centro-derecha en Cataluña y el País Vasco, respectivamente}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|chapter=Political parties|editor1=Gabriel Gatti|editor2=Ignacio Irazuzta|editor3=Iñaki Martínez de Albeniz|title=Basque Society: Structures, Institutions, and Contemporary Life|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMzBK_wWRPkC&pg=PA177|year=2005|publisher=University of Nevada Press|isbn=978-1-877802-25-6|page=177}}</ref>
|national = [[Geroa Bai]]<br>[[Coalition for a Solidary Europe|CEUS]]
| national = [[Geroa Bai]]<br>[[Coalition for a Solidary Europe|CEUS]]
|european = [[European Democratic Party]]
| european = [[European Democratic Party]]
|europarl = [[Renew Europe]]
| europarl = [[Renew Europe]]
|affiliation1_title = Na
| affiliation1_title = Na
|affiliation1 =
| affiliation1 =
|colors = Red<br>Green<br>White
| colors = Red<br>Green<br>White
|seats1_title = [[Congress of Deputies]] ([[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque seats]])
| seats1_title = [[Congress of Deputies]] ([[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque seats]])
|seats1 = {{Composition bar|6|18|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|6|18|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
|seats2_title = [[Spanish Senate]] ([[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque seats]])
| seats2_title = [[Spanish Senate]] ([[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque seats]])
|seats2 = {{Composition bar|10|15|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|10|15|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
|seats3_title = [[European Parliament]]
| seats3_title = [[European Parliament]]
|seats3 = {{Composition bar|1|59|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
| seats3 = {{Composition bar|1|59|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
|seats4_title = [[Basque Parliament]]
| seats4_title = [[Basque Parliament]]
|seats4 = {{Composition bar|31|75|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
| seats4 = {{Composition bar|31|75|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
|seats5_title = [[Parliament of Navarre]]
| seats5_title = [[Parliament of Navarre]]
|seats5 = {{Composition bar|4|50|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}{{small|Within [[Geroa Bai]]}}
| seats5 = {{Composition bar|4|50|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}{{small|Within [[Geroa Bai]]}}
|seats6_title = [[Juntas Generales]]
| seats6_title = [[Juntas Generales]]
|seats6 = {{Composition bar|54|153|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
| seats6 = {{Composition bar|54|153|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
|seats7_title = [[Basque Autonomous Community|Mayors in the Basque Autonomous Community]]<ref>[https://www.berria.eus/paperekoa/1999/003/001/2019-06-16/gehiengoak-maximizatzen.htm Gehiengoak maximizatzen]. Berria, 16/06/2019.</ref>
| seats7_title = [[Basque Autonomous Community|Mayors in the Basque Autonomous Community]]<ref>[https://www.berria.eus/paperekoa/1999/003/001/2019-06-16/gehiengoak-maximizatzen.htm Gehiengoak maximizatzen]. Berria, 16/06/2019.</ref>
|seats7 = {{Composition bar|121|251|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
| seats7 = {{Composition bar|121|251|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
|seats8_title = [[Basque Autonomous Community|Town councillors in the Basque Autonomous Community]]
| seats8_title = [[Basque Autonomous Community|Town councillors in the Basque Autonomous Community]]
|seats8 = {{Composition bar|1017|2628|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
| seats8 = {{Composition bar|1017|2628|hex={{Basque Nationalist Party/meta/color}}}}
|symbol =
| symbol =
}}
}}



Revision as of 08:20, 7 April 2021

Basque Nationalist Party
Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea (Basque)
Partido Nacionalista Vasco (Spanish)
Parti Nationaliste Basque (French)
PresidentAndoni Ortuzar
FounderSabino Arana
Founded1895 (1895)
HeadquartersSabin Etxea, Ibáñez de Bilbao, 16
Bilbao
Youth wingEuzko Gaztedi
Membership (2019)24,650[1]
IdeologyBasque nationalism
Basque independence
Regionalism Christian democracy
Social democracy
Conservative liberalism
Political positionCentre-left[2] to
centre-right[3][4]
National affiliationGeroa Bai
CEUS
European affiliationEuropean Democratic Party
European Parliament groupRenew Europe
International affiliationNone, previously Alliance of Democrats[5]
ColorsRed
Green
White
Congress of Deputies (Basque seats)
6 / 18
Spanish Senate (Basque seats)
10 / 15
European Parliament
1 / 59
Basque Parliament
31 / 75
Parliament of Navarre
4 / 50
Within Geroa Bai
Juntas Generales
54 / 153
Mayors in the Basque Autonomous Community[6]
121 / 251
Town councillors in the Basque Autonomous Community
1,017 / 2,628
Website
www.eaj-pnv.eus

The Basque Nationalist Party[7] (Template:Lang-eu, EAJ; Template:Lang-es, PNV; Template:Lang-fr, PNB; EAJ-PNV), officially Basque National Party in English,[8][a] is a Basque nationalist[10][11][12][13] and regionalist[14][15] political party. The party is Christian-democratic,[13][16][17] with social-democratic[18][19][20][21] and conservative-liberal[22] factions. It operates in all the territories comprising the Basque Country: the Basque Autonomous Community and Navarre in Spain, and in the French Basque Country. It also has delegations in dozens of foreign nations, specifically those with a major presence of Basque immigrants.

The EAJ-PNV was founded by Sabino Arana in 1895, which makes it the second oldest extant political party in Spain, after the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. The EAJ-PNV is the largest Basque nationalist party, having led the Basque Government uninterruptedly since 1979, except for a brief period between 2009 and 2012. In Navarre, it is part of the coalition Geroa Bai, which is currently the party in the Navarrese regional government. Currently a member of the European Democratic Party, EAJ-PNV was previously a member of the European Free Alliance from 1999 to 2004.[23] Earlier it had been affiliated with the European People's Party and the Christian Democrat International (from which it was expelled in 2000).[24]

The current chairman of the EAJ-PNV is Andoni Ortuzar. The party's youth wing is Euzko Gaztedi. The EAJ-PNV's social offices are called batzokis, of which there are over 200 throughout the world.[25] Since 1932, the party celebrates Aberri Eguna (Homeland Day) on Easter.[26] Also, since 1977, it celebrates Alderdi Eguna (Party Day).

History

Origins and early history

In 1898, the party opened its second batzoki [eu] ('meeting place', a club and bar) in Barakaldo.

The Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ-PNV) was founded in 1895 by Sabino de Arana Goiri as a Catholic and conservative political party agitating for political independence for the province of Biscay and the defence of Basque traditional culture, language, and racial purity. In fact, in its early years, party membership was restricted to those who could prove pure Basque ancestry by having eight Basque surnames.

By 1897, the party sought independence not only for Biscay but for all seven provinces comprising the Basque Country in both Spain and France.[27]

In 1916, the Basque Nationalist Party renamed itself the Basque Nationalist Communion (Comunión Nacionalista Vasca). This name change marked a departure, in many aspects, from the original doctrine of the late Sabino Arana and casting itself as a broader social movement rather than simply a political party. The Basque Nationalist Communion at this point advocated for Basque autonomy within Spain, rather than outright independence. However, a small faction known as the "Aberrianos" ("Fatherlanders") within the party remained committed to the cause of independence. In 1921, the leading members of the Aberrianos were kicked from the moderate Basque Nationalist Communion.[28] Later that year, the Aberrianos officially formed their own political party, reclaiming the name "Basque Nationalist Party".

During the single party dictatorship of Captain General Miguel Primo de Rivera (1923-1930), the Basque Nationalist Party was outlawed, and its members went underground. Many of its activities continued through mountaineering ("mendigoxale") and folklore associations. However, the Basque Nationalist Communion was tolerated by the Spanish dictatorship as it was considered a moderate regionalist party.[29]

At the end of 1930, the two nationalist organisations united under the original name Basque Nationalist Party. However, a small faction split from the Basque Nationalist Communion shortly before the reunification, calling itself Eusko Abertzale Ekintza-Acción Nacionalista Vasca ("Basque Nationalist Action"). It was on the moderate nationalist left, non-confessional and open to alliances with Spanish republican and socialist parties.

The Second Spanish Republic

PNV sticker. Text: "Euzkadi´k bear zaitu" (Euzkadi needs you). It is inspired by Alfred Leete's British poster for Kitchener's Army.

1934–1935

The division between autonomism and independentism appeared again during the Second Spanish Republic. Headed by Aberriano veteran Eli Gallastegi, a small group of independentists coalesced around the Mountaineering Federation of Biscay and its affiliated weekly publication Jagi-Jagi ("Arise Arise"), and abandoned the now-moderate and autonomist Basque Nationalist Party.

The Spanish Civil War and Franco's rule

Civil War

After the Spanish Civil War of 18 July 1936, the party felt torn. Certain branches of the party supported the rebellion against the Republic, feeling sympathy for its Catholic and anti-Communist agenda. However, the right-wing rebels insisted on a unified Spain, making them hostile to nationalist movements in regions such as the Basque Country. Furthermore, the Basque Nationalist Party was also anti-Fascist, while Fascists constituted a large part of the rebellion. Ultimately, the republican government was able to secure the allegiance of the Basque Nationalist Party with the promise to pass a Basque Autonomy Statute.

The Biscayan and Gipuzkoan branches declared support for the republic, democracy, and anti-fascism in the ensuing Spanish Civil War and were key in balancing those provinces to the Republican side. In the territory seized by the rebels, PNV members faced tough times. During the military uprising in Navarre, the Basque nationalist mayor of Estella-Lizarra, Fortunato Aguirre, was arrested by the Spanish nationalist rebels (18 July 1936), and killed in September. Some Basque nationalists could flee north to Basque areas loyal to the Republic, or France. However, some members of the Alavese and Navarrese committees, ahead of an official decision, published notes refusing support to the Republic. Notwithstanding their initial ambiguous position in certain areas, the party premises and press in Álava and Navarre were closed in that month of July.

Some PNV sympathizers and members joined the Carlist battalions, either out of conviction or to avoid persecution. By October 1936, a war front had been established at the northern tip of Álava and to the west of Donostia-San Sebastián. Initially, the Defence Committees in Biscay and Gipuzkoa were dominated by the Popular Front. After hard negotiations, eventually Basque autonomy was granted within the Second Spanish Republic in late 1936, and the new autonomous government immediately organized the Basque Army, consisting of militias recruited separately by the various political organizations, including the EAJ-PNV, EAE-ANV, and Jagi-Jagi.

The autonomous government maintained remarkable order behind the lines in Biscay and western Gipuzkoa, and managed the coordination and provision of military resistance. Upon occupation of territories loyal to the Republic, the rebel forces focused repression on leftists, but Basque nationalists were also targeted, facing prison, humiliation, and death in some cases. As the rebel troops approached Biscay, the Carlist press in Pamplona even called for the extermination of Basque nationalists.[30]

José Antonio Aguirre, the party leader, became in October 1936 the first lendakari (Basque president) of the wartime multipartite Basque Government, ruling the unconquered parts of Biscay and Gipuzkoa. In April 1937, the city of Gernika was bombed by German airplanes covertly aiding the rebel forces. Jose Antonio Aguirre stated that "the German planes bombed us with a brutality that had never been seen before for two and a half hours." Pablo Picasso made a painting in remembrance of the massacre named after the city that year.[31]

When Bilbao, the most populated city in the Basque Country, was taken by Franco's troops, the Basque nationalists decided to not destroy or sabotage the powerful manufacturing industry of Bilbao, thinking that they had the responsibility to secure the prosperity of their people in the future. This decision allowed the occupying rebel forces to use the industrial power of Bilbao in their war effort against the rest of Republic-aligned Spain.

In July 1937, having lost all Basque territory, the Basque Army retreated toward Santander. With no territory or help from the Republic, the Basque Army surrendered to the Italian Corpo Truppe Volontari through the so-called Santoña Agreement. Prison sentences and executions followed, as the rebel government of Francisco Franco ruled that separate terms of surrender could not be made between the Basques and Italians. The Basque government then moved to Barcelona until the fall of Catalonia, and then out of Spain into exile in France. Lendakari Aguirre was exiled in Belgium when Hitler's forces invaded it, thus beginning his long clandestine journey to reach the United States. With a false identity, he boldly travelled to Berlin itself, and then on to Sweden with the help of a Panamian ambassador. He fled Europe for Latin America, where in Uruguay he re-assumed his real identity and was given a visa to the United States. He travelled to New York, where he was taken under the protection of American Basques as a professor at Columbia University.

Exile during the post-war

The president of the Basque Government in exile was always a EAJ-PNV member and even the sole Spanish representative in the United Nations was the Basque appointee Jesús de Galíndez until his murder in an obscure episode regarding his PhD Thesis about Dominican Republic's dictator Trujillo. He also decided to put the large Basque exiles' network at the service of the Allied side and collaborated with the US Secretary of State and the CIA during the Cold War to fight Communism in Spanish America.

When the United States decided to back Franco in 1952 Aguirre went to France anew where the Basque Government in exile was established. Also, he learned there that the pro-Nazi French government of Vichy confiscated the Basque Government's building and that the anti-Nazi Charles de Gaulle maintained it as a Spanish Government's possession, given that the Basque Government has never had any international consideration other than representatives of a region in Spain at most. The building today is the Instituto Cervantes premises where French people can learn any of the Spanish languages, including Basque.[32]

Generational conflict and new alliances

In 1959 ETA was created by young undergraduates from the area of Bilbao (organisation EKIN) lured by Basque nationalist ideology, but increasingly disgruntled at the ineffective political action of the EAJ-PNV, largely daunted by post-war repression and scattered in exile. In addition, the new generation resented an attempt of the EAJ-PNV to pull the strings of their movement and PNV's youth wing Euzko Gaztedi (EGI), with whom they had merged in the mid-50s, as well as showing a more modern stance, stressing for one the language as the centre of Basqueness, instead of race.

In the 1950s and 60s the party looked for alliances abroad, expecting at first that the defeat of the Axis in World War II would encourage USA's support for an eventual overthrow of Franco's hold on power, which didn't happen. In addition, it was a founder party of the Christian Democrat International, but now the party is an active member of the European Democratic Party.

In the late 60s and early 70s, contacts started with other Spanish parties to assert the EAJ-PNV's position in a new post-Francoist order. At the same time, the Basque Nationalist Party confirmed its stance against ETA in a period when its violent actions saw a surge and its influence in society was very apparent, especially in street protests. Juan de Ajuriaguerra paved the way for the EAJ-PNV's comeback to Basque politics from exile, and started to negotiate their participation in the new status-quo, with special attention to a new Statute.

A Basque Statute

The EAJ-PNV's results in the 1977 and 1978 elections confirmed PNV's central position in Basque politics. While the EAJ-PNV advocated for abstention in the referendum on the Spanish Constitution for its lack of Basque input, the party supported the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country, approved in December 1978, and paved the way to its success in the first elections held in the Basque Autonomous Community, once Navarre was left out.

In the transition years after Franco's death in 1975, Xabier Arzallus came to prominence, who masterminded the so-called "Spirit of Arriaga" to accommodate the party to the new Spanish democracy. Despite some internal tensions, the former priest and Jesuit came up reinforced and was chosen undisputed party leader. The EAJ-PNV found its main and strongest support base in Biscay, while in Navarre EAJ-PNV was next to non-existent.

Carlos Garaikoetxea spearheaded the new autonomous government after being elected with 38.8% of the votes and during this first term the Basque Nationalist Party held office without outside support. During this period, the EAJ-PNV's challenges were closely associated to its position in the Basque Government: defense of the Statute, devolution of powers from Madrid, discrediting of political violence, restructuring of manufacturing industry steeped in crisis.

As of 1985 tensions inside the party spurred the formation of a splinter group with a stronghold in Gipuzkoa, which in turn led to a new party in 1987, when dissenters from the EAJ-PNV formed the Basque Solidarity ("Eusko Alkartasuna", EA) party. Carlos Garaikoetxea was then elected as the first president of the rival party. The split from the EAJ-PNV was mainly based on:

Afterwards, some ideological differences also came out. EA adopted a social-democratic ideology, while the EAJ-PNV remained more attached to its Christian-democratic ideas. The split was particularly bitter given that it was headed by the lehendakari (premier) himself. Many EAJ-PNV political bars (batzoki [eu], "meeting place") became alkartetxe [eu] ("meeting house").

Since 1991, as time has eased the bitter split (helped by the fact that both Arzalluz and Garaikoetxea have gone into political retirement), both parties agreed to form an electoral coalition in a number of local elections as a means to maximise the nationalist votes, which eventually led to reunite both candidatures in a joint list again for the regional governments of Navarra and the Basque Autonomous Community in 1998. Thus, EA has participated in several EAJ-PNV-led Basque governments, including the 2006 government of President Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu. Still, EA decided to run by itself in the municipal elections held in May 2007.

Former president Juan José Ibarretxe spearheaded a call for the reform of the Statute of Autonomy that governs the Basque Country Autonomous Community, through a proposal widely known as the Ibarretxe Plan, passed by the Basque Parliament but not even accepted for discussion by the Spanish Cortes Generales.

In 2009 the EAJ-PNV was expelled from office by an alliance of the Socialist Party of the Basque Country and the People's Party, taking advantage of a distorted parliament representation issued from the outlawing of left-wing Basque nationalists. Until that moment, the EAJ-PNV dominated every administration of the Basque government. In Navarre, the EA and EAJ-PNV formed the coalition Nafarroa Bai—'Yes to Navarre'—along with Aralar and Batzarre, but a split within the coalition led to its revamp as Geroa Bai. In terms of ideology, by November 2016 the Basque Nationalist Party shifted its rhetoric to make the autonomous community of Euskadi the subject of the Basque nation.[33]

Position in recent referendums

The EAJ-PNV called for:

  • Abstention in the Referendum for Spanish Constitution in 1978.
  • Gave freedom to vote yes or no to permanence of Spain in the NATO in 1986. The Yes won the vote in Spain, but the No was the first choice among the electors of the Basque Country.
  • Yes to the European Constitution proposal in the referendum held in Spain on 21 February 2005; and supported the Lisbon Treaty in the Spanish Cortes Generales.

Presidents of the party since 1895

Note: The National Council of the Basque Nationalist Party (Euzkadi-Buru-Batzar) was created in 1911. Therefore, Sabino Arana and Ángel Zabala were only presidents of the Regional Council of Biscay (Bizkai-Buru-Batzar)

Josu Jon Imaz (in white shirt) and Iñigo Urkullu (in black shirt) in 2007

Party Traditions

Jeltzaletasuna

A coat of arms for the Basque Country with the motto.

JeL (Jaun-Goikua eta Lagi-zaŕa, "God and the Old Laws" in Arana's purist Biscayan Basque, Jaungoikoa eta Lege-zaharra or Jaungoikoa eta Foruak in Standard Basque) is the motto of the party.

The "old laws" referred to are the fueros, the traditional laws of the Basque provinces, observed by the kings of Castile, and later Spain, until the Carlist Wars. The motto of Basque Carlists was Dios, patria, fueros, rey ("God, Country, Fueros,King"). Basque nationalism evolved out of Carlism, eventually supplanting it in much of the Basque Country.

Jeltzale in the party's Basque-language name Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea is a word comprising two parts: JeL (the acronym for "God and the Old Laws") and -(t)zale (literally meaning "fond of"). Thus jeltzale could be rendered in English as "one who is fond of God and the Old Laws (JeL)", or translated simply as "nationalist".

A jelkide (after -kide, "companion") is a member of the party.

Alderdi Eguna

Alderdi Eguna ("Party Day") is the national holiday of the Basque Nationalist Party which is annually celebrated on the last Sunday of September, the Sunday closest to the feast day of Saint Michael, the patron saint of Euskal Herria and of the Basque Nationalist Party.

The central act of this celebration is a political meeting of leading nationalists, but the celebration begins in the morning with a traditional festival in which the different municipal organizations from the party set up stands to sell drinks and their more typical products, all brightened up by traditional music. Dances and traditional sports are also enjoyed. The celebration takes place in an open air arena (currently in Foronda, Álava), and lasts until nightfall.

European representation

In the European Parliament, the Basque Nationalist Party sits in the Renew Europe group with one MEP.[34]

In the European Committee of the Regions, the Basque Nationalist Party sits in the Renew Europe CoR group with one full and one alternate member for the 2020-2025 mandate.[35][36]

Electoral performance

Regional parliaments

Basque Parliament

Basque Parliament
Election Votes % # Seats +/– Leading candidate Status in legislature
1980 349,102 37.95% 1st
25 / 60
Carlos Garaikoetxea Minority
1984 451,178 41.81% 1st
32 / 75
7 Carlos Garaikoetxea Minority
1986 271,208 23.60% 1st
17 / 75
15 José Antonio Ardanza Coalition (PNV–PSE)
1990 289,701 28.28% 1st
22 / 75
5 José Antonio Ardanza Coalition (PNV–EAEE)
Coalition (PNV–PSEEE; from Sep. 1991)
1994 304,346 29.32% 1st
22 / 75
0 José Antonio Ardanza Coalition (PNV–PSEEA)
Coalition (PNV–EA; from Jun. 1998)
1998 350,322 27.62% 1st
21 / 75
1 Juan José Ibarretxe Coalition (PNV–EA)
2001 Within PNV–EA
26 / 75
5 Juan José Ibarretxe Coalition (PNV–EA)
Coalition (PNV–EAEB; from Sep. 2001)
2005 Within PNV–EA
21 / 75
5 Juan José Ibarretxe Coalition (PNV–EAEB)
2009 399,600 38.14% 1st
30 / 75
9 Juan José Ibarretxe Opposition
2012 384,766 34.16% 1st
27 / 75
3 Iñigo Urkullu Minority
2016 398,168 37.36% 1st
28 / 75
1 Iñigo Urkullu Coalition (PNV–PSE)
2020 349,960 38.70% 1st
31 / 75
3 Iñigo Urkullu Coalition (PNV–PSE)

Parliament of Navarre

Parliament of Navarre
Election Votes % # Seats +/– Leading candidate Status in legislature
1979 Within NV
2 / 70
Manuel de Irujo Opposition
1983 18,161 6.83% 5th
3 / 50
1 Ignacio Cabases Opposition
1987 2,661 0.94% 11th
0 / 50
3 Vicente Arocena No seats
1991 3,071 1.12% 10th
0 / 50
0 José Antonio Urbiola No seats
1995 Within NA
0 / 50
0 José Antonio Urbiola No seats
1999 Within EA–PNV
0 / 50
0 Begoña Errazti No seats
2003 Within EA–PNV
1 / 50
1 Begoña Errazti Opposition
2007 Within NaBai
1 / 50
0 Patxi Zabaleta Opposition
2011 Within NaBai 2011
1 / 50
0 Patxi Zabaleta Opposition
2015 Within GBai
4 / 50
3 Uxue Barkos Coalition (GBaiEH BilduIE)
2019 Within GBai
4 / 50
0 Uxue Barkos Coalition (PSNGBaiPodemos)

Cortes Generales

Nationwide

Cortes Generales
Election Congress Senate Leading candidate Status in legislature
Votes % # Seats +/– Seats +/–
1977 296,193 1.62% 8th
8 / 350
6 / 207
Juan de Ajuriaguerra Opposition
1979 296,597 1.65% 8th
7 / 350
1
8 / 208
2 Xabier Arzalluz Opposition
1982 395,656 1.88% 7th
8 / 350
1
7 / 208
1 Iñigo Agirre Opposition
1986 309,610 1.53% 6th
6 / 350
2
7 / 208
0 Iñaki Anasagasti Opposition
1989 254,681 1.24% 6th
5 / 350
1
4 / 208
3 Iñaki Anasagasti Opposition
1993 291,448 1.24% 6th
5 / 350
0
3 / 208
1 Iñaki Anasagasti Confidence and supply
1996 318,951 1.27% 5th
5 / 350
0
4 / 208
1 Iñaki Anasagasti Confidence and supply
Opposition (from Jun. 1998)
2000 353,953 1.53% 5th
7 / 350
2
6 / 208
2 Iñaki Anasagasti Opposition
2004 420,980 1.63% 6th
7 / 350
0
6 / 208
0 Josu Erkoreka Opposition
2008 306,128 1.19% 5th
6 / 350
1
2 / 208
4 Josu Erkoreka Opposition
2011 324,317 1.33% 7th
5 / 350
1
4 / 208
2 Josu Erkoreka Opposition
2015 302,316 1.20% 8th
6 / 350
1
6 / 208
2 Aitor Esteban New election
2016 287,014 1.19% 7th
5 / 350
1
5 / 208
1 Aitor Esteban Opposition
Confidence and supply (from Jun. 2018)
2019 (Apr) 395,884 1.51% 8th
6 / 350
1
9 / 208
4 Aitor Esteban New election
2019 (Nov) 379,002 1.56% 9th
6 / 350
0
9 / 208
0 Aitor Esteban Confidence and supply

Regional breakdown

Election Basque Country
Congress Senate
Votes % # Seats +/– Seats +/–
1977 296,193 29.28% 1st
8 / 21
6 / 12
1979 275,292 27.57% 1st
7 / 21
1
8 / 12
2
1982 379,293 31.73% 1st
8 / 21
1
7 / 12
1
1986 304,675 27.82% 1st
6 / 21
2
7 / 12
0
1989 252,119 22.78% 1st
5 / 21
1
4 / 12
3
1993 287,908 24.05% 2nd
5 / 19
0
3 / 12
1
1996 315,793 25.04% 1st
5 / 19
0
4 / 12
1
2000 347,417 30.38% 1st
7 / 19
2
6 / 12
2
2004 420,980 33.72% 1st
7 / 19
0
6 / 12
0
2008 306,128 27.11% 2nd
6 / 18
1
2 / 12
4
2011 324,317 27.41% 1st
5 / 18
1
4 / 12
2
2015 302,316 24.72% 2nd
6 / 18
1
6 / 12
2
2016 287,014 24.86% 2nd
5 / 18
1
5 / 12
1
2019 (Apr) 395,884 31.01% 1st
6 / 18
1
9 / 12
4
2019 (Nov) 379,002 32.01% 1st
6 / 18
0
9 / 12
0
 
Election Navarre
Congress Senate
Votes % # Seats +/– Seats +/–
1977 Within FA
0 / 5
0 / 4
1979 21,305 8.42% 5th
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
1982 16,363 5.49% 5th
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
1986 4,935 1.81% 7th
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
1989 2,562 0.92% 8th
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
1993 3,540 1.14% 8th
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
1996 3,158 0.97% 7th
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
2000 6,536 2.16% 6th
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
2004 Within NaBai
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
2008 Within NaBai
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
2011 Within GBai
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
2015 Within Cambio-Aldaketa
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
2016 Within GBai
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
2019 (Apr) Within Cambio-Aldaketa
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0
2019 (Nov) Within GBai
0 / 5
0
0 / 4
0

European Parliament

European Parliament
Election Total Basque Country Navarre
Votes % # Seats +/– Votes % # Votes % #
1987 Within UE
0 / 60
208,135 19.39% 2nd 2,574 0.91% 9th
1989 Within CN
1 / 60
1 201,809 20.95% 1st 2,410 1.05% 10th
1994 Within CN
1 / 64
0 233,626 25.85% 1st 2,835 1.23% 6th
1999 Within CN–EP
1 / 64
0 Within PNV–EA Within EA–PNV
2004 Within Galeusca
1 / 54
0 249,143 35.28% 1st 4,188 2.10% 6th
2009 Within CEU
1 / 54
0 208,432 28.54% 1st 3,691 1.82% 7th
2014 Within CEU
1 / 54
0 208,987 27.48% 1st 5,552 2.54% 7th
2019 Within CEUS
1 / 59
0 380,577 33.92% 1st Within GBai

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A proposal to have the official party name changed to "Basque National Party" (Template:Lang-es) was rejected by party members in November 2011. Nonetheless, the party did introduce the change in the English and French versions of the name.[9]

References

  1. ^ Los partidos se atribuyen ocho veces más militantes de los que admiten pagar cuotas. Público, 28/07/2019.
  2. ^ Ruiz Vieytez, Eduardo (2013). "A New Political Status for the Basque Country?" (PDF). Journal on Ethnopolitics and Minority Issues in Europe. 12: 99. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2019. PNV is a pro-(Basque) sovereignty political party founded in 1895 and representing a wide political spectrum from centre-right to centre-left
  3. ^ Mateos, Araceli; Penadés, Alberto (2013). "España: crisis y recortes" (PDF). Revista de ciencia política (Santiago) (in Spanish). 33 (1): 175. doi:10.4067/S0718-090X2013000100008. ISSN 0718-090X. Retrieved January 4, 2016. Convergencia i Unió (CiU) y el Partido Nacionalista Vasco (PNV-EAJ) son los partidos nacionalistas de centro-derecha en Cataluña y el País Vasco, respectivamente
  4. ^ Gabriel Gatti; Ignacio Irazuzta; Iñaki Martínez de Albeniz, eds. (2005). "Political parties". Basque Society: Structures, Institutions, and Contemporary Life. University of Nevada Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-1-877802-25-6.
  5. ^ Nuñez, Xosé-Manoel (2003), "A State of Many Nations: The Construction of a Plural Spanish Society since 1976", The Social Construction of Diversity, Berghahn Books, p. 287
    Keating, Michael; Loughlin, John; Deschouwer, Kris (2003), Culture, Institutions, and Economic Development: A Study of Eight European Regions, Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 55
  6. ^ Gehiengoak maximizatzen. Berria, 16/06/2019.
  7. ^ "Basque Nationalist Party". britannica.com. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Basque National Party". basquenationalparty.eus. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Las bases del PNV descartan cambiar el término "nacionalista" por "nacional"". ABC. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  10. ^ Ahedo, Igor (2005), "Political parties in the Basque autonomous community", Basque Society: Structures, Institutions, And Contemporary Life, Center for Basque Studies, p. 177
  11. ^ Ramiro, Luis; Morales, Laura (2007), "European integration and Spanish parties: Elite empowerment amidst limited adaptation", The Europeanization of National Political Parties: Power and organizational adaptation, Routledge, p. 145
  12. ^ Pallarés, Francesc; Keating, Michael (2006), "Multi-level electoral competition: sub-state elections and party systems in Spain", Devolution and electoral politics, Manchester University Press, p. 101
  13. ^ a b Gibbons 1999, p. 25: "the PNV, a Basque nationalist and Christian democratic party"
  14. ^ Lidia Núñez (2019). "Nuanced Liberalism: The Weakness of Liberal Parties in Spain". In Emilie van Haute; Caroline Close (eds.). Liberal Parties in Europe. Taylor & Francis. p. 221. ISBN 978-1-351-24549-4.
  15. ^ José María Magone (2009). Contemporary Spanish Politics. Taylor & Francis. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-415-42188-1.
  16. ^ Papini, Roberto (2010), "The Identity of the Christian Democratic Movement and Theory of Democracy", Religion, the Enlightenment, and the New Global Order, Columbia University Press, p. 259
  17. ^ Keating, Michael (2009), "Nationalist Movements in Comparative Perspective", The Modern SNP: From Protest to Power, Edinburgh University Press, p. 208
  18. ^ Alvarez, Manu (7 October 2013). "La reforma fiscal pone fin a la etapa liberal del PNV que abraza con fuerza la socialdemocracia". El Correo (in Spanish). Diario EL CORREO. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2019. Punto y final a una etapa liberal y victoria definitiva de la corriente más socialdemócrata del PNV, asentada en el poder de la formación jeltzale desde hace ya algunos años
  19. ^ Armentia, Iker (25 November 2016). "Humillados ante Dios y el PNV". Eldiario.es (in Spanish). Eldiario.es. Retrieved 1 May 2019. el PNV hace tiempo que flirtea con la socialdemocracia siguiendo las posiciones mayoritarias de la sociedad vasca en los últimos años
  20. ^ Soto, Iñaki (24 November 2016). "La hegemonía, el país y el "momento Rafa Larreina"". GARA (in Spanish). GARA. Retrieved 1 May 2019. Cómo habían virado sus posturas democristianas y reaccionarias hacia demandas y perspectivas que son mayoritarias en una sociedad vasca que, guste o no, es bien socialdemócrata
  21. ^ DEIA (8 June 2017). "Euskadi, el país "más socialdemócrata de Europa"". Deia (in Spanish). Deia. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2019. el burukide jeltzale valoró las políticas socialdemócratas impulsadas por su partido desde las instituciones durante las últimas décadas, especialmente en las cuestiones sociales y de protección social
  22. ^ Slomp 2011, p. 519.
  23. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-05-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. ^ Jan Mansvelt Beck (2004). Territory and Terror: Conflicting Nationalisms in the Basque Country. Routledge. p. 162.
  25. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-06-23. Retrieved 2015-08-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  26. ^ http://www.euskomedia.org/aunamendi/6047
  27. ^ Watson, Cameron (2003). Modern Basque History: Eighteenth Century to the Present Reno: Center for Basque Studies. p. 191
  28. ^ Iñigo Camino and Luis de Guezala, Juventud y Nacionalismo Vasco: Bilbao (1901-1937) (Bilbao: Fundación Sabino Arana, 1991), 89-90.
  29. ^ José María Lorenzo Espinosa, Gudari, una pasión útil: Vida y obra de Eli Gallastegi (1892-1974) (Tafalla: Txalaparta, 1992), 121.
  30. ^ Paul Preston (2013). The Spanish Holocaust: Inquisition and Extermination in Twentieth-Century Spain. London, UK: HarperCollins. p. 436. ISBN 978-0-00-638695-7.
  31. ^ Müller, Annika (April 26, 2012). "A Survivor Recalls the Horrors of Guernica". Spiegel Online. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  32. ^ https://paris.cervantes.es/fr/cours/langues_co-officielles.htm
  33. ^ "Urkullu: "Euskadi es una nación que debe ser reconocida y necesita mecanismos de bilateralidad"". EuropaPress. 2016-11-23. Retrieved 2016-12-01. Compare it to Sabino Arana's definition of Euzkadi as a political projection of Euskal Herria, or to the party's name for its main executive board, the Euskadi Buru Batzar, regrouping the party leaders of all the Basque territory.
  34. ^ "Home | Izaskun BILBAO BARANDICA | MEPs | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  35. ^ "CoR Members Page".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  36. ^ "CoR Members Page".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Bibliography