A year on from the separatist group’s ceasefire announcement, ETA is weaker than ever and a peace process looks highly unlikely. But with the emergence of a new nationalist coalition, the Basque region is politically healthier.
Spain’s top court allows a nationalist coalition to participate in the May 22 local elections, reflecting a refreshing willingness by the judiciary to ignore political distractions and examine the facts.
The Spanish High Court recently ruled that a new Basque nationalist party should not be allowed to run in upcoming elections due to its alleged links to ETA. However, while the tribal tone of politics in Madrid made that ruling inevitable, there are signs that there are many in the Basque region – and the judiciary itself – who disagree.
The Supreme Court’s decision to prevent the new nationalist party from running in elections follows an intense and not always helpful debate.
Not so long ago, Bilbao was seen as an unattractive place, known for its industry and the dark-suited bodyguards who escorted public figures threatened by ETA around town. But today the city is perhaps the most obvious example of “modern Spain”. Much of its regeneration is due to Frank Gehry’s angled, shining Guggenheim Museum, perched [...]
The unveiling of a new Basque pro-independence party that rejects ETA violence is a major development. Giving its request to run in local elections a fair hearing would reflect well on Spain’s courts, given the maelstrom of political feeling that surrounds this issue.
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