ABSTRACT
The May elections to the Basque parliament were held in the midst of an atmosphere of radical and acidic confrontation. Never before in the history of the Basque contention had Basque society been so deeply fragmented into two opposing blocs: the nationalist and the so-called constitutionalist. While the idea of a nationalist entente or front had always been an essential part of the Liberation Movement’s strategic repertoire, the Partido Nacionalista Vasco (PNV) shift was a break in the party’s tradition that requires an explanation. The peace process in Northern Ireland provided an example of how such a new strategy could be developed and implemented. Basque nationalism has historically looked to the Irish mirror since the PNV’s foundation. The Basque people’s right to decide and the assessment that the 1979 regional autonomy had ceased to be a useful politico-administrative tool for the management of public affairs in the Basque Country were historical claims of the Patriotic Left.
