Basque Country: EH Bildu on the 2014 European election

Southern Basque Country

Euskal Herria Bildu (EH Bildu) makes a positive assessment of the results obtained in the European elections. In spite of the low participation and that there have been worrisome tendencies towards the extreme right in parts of Europe, EH Bildu has fulfilled the objectives that it had set out for these elections.

In the Basque Country, the coalition that represents the pro-sovereignty left has had good results and their representative Josu Juaristi will be in the European Parliament, which demonstrates the support and strength of this political project.

The results achieved, are an opportunity to open spaces and to work in favour of social transformation, the peoples' right to decide and the peace process in the Basque Country. We want to thank all of the citizens who have supported EH Bildu.

The state level results of the coalition The Peoples Decide (Los Puebos Deciden) of which EH Bildu was part [along with the Galician nationalist Bloc, BNG, and other smaller forces] and of their respective members in their countries as well as in the Spanish state have been satisfactory.

The 80,000 votes obtained by the BNG in Galicia are significant. This joint political work between Galicia and the Basque Country has made it possible for Josu Juaristi to bring to Europe the voice of the Basque Country and its citizens.

Apart from achieving a seat in the European Parliament EHB is the leading force in the southern Basque Country and continues to demonstrate an ascending trend. In Araba for the first time it has been the most voted force, in Gipuzkoa it continues to be the primary force and in Navarre and Bizkaia it is the second force reducing the distance with respect to the first. The PNV, in spite of losing some votes, maintains its position. As in the rest of the Spanish state, the PP and the PSOE have obtained very poor results.

EH Bildu believes that, while the movement in favour of the right to decide is being strengthened, the parties who are against the peace process are becoming marginal. The Basque and Navarre branches of the PP and the PSOE are on the path towards becoming minority actors in the Basque political scenario.

It is also significant the rise that left forces of the state have had in the Basque Country. Taking advantage of the loss in votes of the PSOE, IU has significantly increased their number of votes and the movement PODEMOS, created recently, has achieved spectacular results. Therefore, we say clearly that the Europe of the Troika has been weakened in the Basque Country. The groups in favour of the right to decide have been strengthened in these elections.

The Spanish state

In the Spanish state, the two majority forces that defend the political regime that came out of the transition of 1978, have lost 5 million votes, which makes evident the structural crisis of the Spanish political system. Although the system still counts on solid instruments, real options are open to end it in the future. The resignation of the secretary general of the PSOE, and the departure of the maximum leaders of the party in the Basque Autonomous Community and in Navarre are the first to fall for that reason.

The parties representing Spanish popular liberalism UPyD and Ciudadans [Citizens, strongest in Catalonia] have gained votes, but not as much as expected. The ultra-right party VOX didn't achieve the votes that they expected and haven't obtained representation.

On the other hand, in Catalonia, the rise of the pro-sovereignty parties is clear. The ERC has become the most voted force, obtaining historical results and positioning themselves clearly in favour of the sovereignty process. There as well the Spanish unionist parties have suffered a great loss of votes.

The French state

The results in the French state are worrisome. The political line carried out lately by the [mainstream conservative] Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) as well as the French Socialist Party (PSF), their agreements concerning antisocial measures and their xenophobic attitude has had as a consequence the victory of the National Front (FN). Despite the fact that the FN has obtained lower support in the northern Basque Country than in the French state, the abertzale [patriotic] left forces have to reflect on this subject.

Europe

As in France, the extreme right or the populist right has obtained good results at a European level. In France, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Holland, Finland, Austria, Greece, Germany, the extreme right has increased their number of votes.

In general, there has been a polarization in the European Parliament, moving the Parliament towards the right. The transfer has been, above all, from the conservatives to the extreme right and populism. On the left the GUE-NGL has grown and the EFA/Greens have maintained their positions fairly well.

From a left point of view of the results of Greece and Ireland are especially interesting; in Greece Syriza has been the main force and in Ireland Sinn Fein has fully entered the political game with their best results ever, even higher than their results in 1918.

From the pro-sovereignty point of view, the results of Flanders are very good, the New Flemish Alliance (NVA) has been the party with the most votes in the federal, regional and European elections. In Scotland there haven't been any great changes in the results, with the Scottish National Party (SNP) maintaining their position, which leaves them in a good position facing the referendum which will take place in September.

With this being the general political scenario, we have to say that the pro-sovereignty left has strengthened their political position in these elections. We have the opportunity to join forces in favour of the right to decide and for the peace process. Together with that it opens possibilities for us to deepen the construction of a transforming political project.