Aralar (Basque political party)
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Aralar is a Basque socialist and separatist political party in Spain. The party is led by Patxi Zabaleta. It is opposed to the violent struggle of ETA.
Aralar was born in the 1990s from a critical tendency within Herri Batasuna (HB) and Euskal Herritarrok (EH), led by Patxi Zabaleta. The tendency had its main base in Navarre.
The breaking of ETA's truce in 2000 provoked Herri Batasuna's reformation into Batasuna, to have presence in all Euskal Herria. Following disagreements over the internal organization of Batasuna, Aralar broke away to form a separate political party.
In the May 2003 election for the Navarre Assembly, Aralar obtained 24,068 votes (8.02% of the valid votes) and four seats and in the same community obtained 4.76% of the valid votes in the municipal elections and 18 local councillors. In the Basque Autonomous Community it obtained 30 councillors and 1.51 % of the valid votes.
Aralar contested the Spanish general election, 2004 in coalition with Zutik but failed to win any seats, polling 3.09% of the valid votes. The party contested Navarre as part of the coalition Nafarroa Bai (NaBai), together with Eusko Alkartasuna (EA), Batzarre the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and independents, obtaining a seat for the independent Uxue Barkos and 18.04 % of the whole of valid votes, which was the highest percentage and number of votes for a Basque list in Spanish General Elections in Navarre.
In 2004 the youth wing of Aralar, Iratzarri, was founded.
In the Basque elections of April 17, 2005, Aralar entered the Basque Parliament with one seat and 2.33% of votes. This seat is held by Aintzane Ezenarro.
In 2007 Aralar won 56 local council seats and 4 local Assembly seats in Euskadi and 5 local Assembly seats and 30 council seats in Navarre.
Aralar contested the 2008 General Elections in the Basque Autnomous Community polling 2.67% of the total votes, 0.42% less than Aralar-Zutik coalition's result four years ago. In Navarre the party joined the Nafarroa Bai coalition, which obtained the 18.53% (+0,55) and one seat, still held by Barkos. [1] [2]
External links
- Aralar's Official webpage (in Basque and Spanish)
- Iratzarri
