News, October, 2007

New Basque Road Map proposed

1 October. The Basque Lehendakari (regional president), Ibarretxe, has just unveiled a new 'Road Map' involving a regional referendum next year, to push forward the move to a higher degree of autonomy or total independence. As is to be expected, the proposals have met with strong rebuffs from the national right wing and the government, but also from within the Lehendakari's own party, the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV). However, Ibarretxe will meet with Zapatero on the 16th to seek a true road ahead.

The proposal, which replaced the Ibarretxe Plan of 2003 - dead after the ETA ceasefire and subsequent return to hostilities, includes various options and stages. Firstly, negotiations with the central government in Madrid will allow a referendum to go ahead. Unless the central government gives its full backing -which is doubtful- any consultation would be unbinding. If it had national blessing the outcome of the referendum would bind all parties. A referendum of some kind would be held on 25th October, 2008.

This is a difficult time for the PNV, since its moderate president, Jon Josu Imaz, recently resigned. This leaves the supporters of more autonomy and in particular the Lehendakari, to gain the upper hand in the party. Likewise, it is a time of concern in the region after ETA ended its ceasefire and has set off a number of bombs and reverted once more to street violence.

Likewise, this is an awkward time for the central government as Catalonia is also going through a period of growing nationalist tensions, after several republican radical youths burnt images of the king and queen, being tired for insults to the monarchy.