Sortu
Encyclopedia
Sortu is a Basque
socialist political party
. Founded in February 2011, it is the first political party belonging to the Basque nationalist
"abertzale
left" that openly rejects ETA
's violence.
Before Sortu, sections of the Basque nationalist left who rejected ETA
's violence left the movement and founded another party, Aralar
, to represent that element of the abertzale left.
At a press conference on February 8, 2011, party supporters backed a Basque state "within a European Union framework, via exclusively peaceful and political channels." They further rejected all violence "categorically and without hesitation...including that of ETA."
The Guardian
and other papers described the party as a new iteration of the Batasuna
, ETA
's political wing, which has been banned since 2003. The District Attorney of the Basque Country High Court, however, stated that the two parties are not the same and that Sortu "has said things never previously said." The Spanish government announced in January 2011 that it will ask the courts to rule on the legality of the new party. "If this rejection of violence included in the statutes of the new party allow for the end of this situation of illegality or not, it is a decision that is up to judges" said Deputy Prime Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba
.
As of March 23, 2011, Sortu will not be able to register as a political party with the Interior Ministry. This was decided by the "61st chamber" of the Supreme Court, which considered the new party to be sponsored by the "Basque nationalist left" as the successor to Batasuna, therefore in affiliation with ETA. After deliberating for 12 hours, the ruling was passed with the support of most magistrates; however, three magistrates voted against the ban. According to most magistrates, the evidence of the links between ETA and the eighth political party created by the Basque nationalist left is so solid that the rejection of violence contained in the statutes is now of secondary importance.
In response to the decision, some members of Sortu, together with other allies, formed a new party, Bildu
. Bildu itself was initially banned, but the decision was overturned and Bildu was allowed to participate and went on to receive 26% of the vote in May 2011 regional elections..
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
socialist political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. Founded in February 2011, it is the first political party belonging to the Basque nationalist
Basque nationalism
Basque nationalism is a political movement advocating for either further political autonomy or, chiefly, full independence of the Basque Country in the wider sense...
"abertzale
Abertzale
Abertzale in the Basque language means "patriot", and it is mainly used to mean "Basque nationalist". It comes from the fusion of aberri with the suffix -zale .Although the term is synonym of "patriot", its common use...
left" that openly rejects ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
's violence.
Before Sortu, sections of the Basque nationalist left who rejected ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
's violence left the movement and founded another party, Aralar
Aralar Party
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....
, to represent that element of the abertzale left.
At a press conference on February 8, 2011, party supporters backed a Basque state "within a European Union framework, via exclusively peaceful and political channels." They further rejected all violence "categorically and without hesitation...including that of ETA."
The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and other papers described the party as a new iteration of the Batasuna
Batasuna
Batasuna was a Basque nationalist political party based mainly in Spain, where it was outlawed in 2003, after a court ruling declared proven that the party was financing ETA with public money. Batasuna is included in the "European Union list of terrorist persons and organizations" as a component...
, ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
's political wing, which has been banned since 2003. The District Attorney of the Basque Country High Court, however, stated that the two parties are not the same and that Sortu "has said things never previously said." The Spanish government announced in January 2011 that it will ask the courts to rule on the legality of the new party. "If this rejection of violence included in the statutes of the new party allow for the end of this situation of illegality or not, it is a decision that is up to judges" said Deputy Prime Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba is a Spanish politician and a leading figure in the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He served in the government of Spain as Minister of Education from 1992 to 1993 and as Minister of the Interior from 2006 to 2011; in addition, he was First Deputy Prime Minister from...
.
As of March 23, 2011, Sortu will not be able to register as a political party with the Interior Ministry. This was decided by the "61st chamber" of the Supreme Court, which considered the new party to be sponsored by the "Basque nationalist left" as the successor to Batasuna, therefore in affiliation with ETA. After deliberating for 12 hours, the ruling was passed with the support of most magistrates; however, three magistrates voted against the ban. According to most magistrates, the evidence of the links between ETA and the eighth political party created by the Basque nationalist left is so solid that the rejection of violence contained in the statutes is now of secondary importance.
In response to the decision, some members of Sortu, together with other allies, formed a new party, Bildu
Bildu
Bildu is a Basque nationalist, separatist and abertzale leftist political coalition active in the Basque Country and Navarre. It was official launched on 3 April 2011...
. Bildu itself was initially banned, but the decision was overturned and Bildu was allowed to participate and went on to receive 26% of the vote in May 2011 regional elections..