FROM THE WORLD TO THE BASQUE COUNTRY
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2007/IX/17
NAVARRA, ONLY THE PEOPLE SAVE THE PEOPLE
Independentzia eta Sozialismorantz
EUSKAL HERRIA, Step by Step
ASKAPENA's information service Nº 188
An important part of the Navarra society dreamt about a political change in their territory. This dream was justified because they have been suffering for too many years the despotism of one the most reactionary right wings in Europe. The parties knew about this dream, so they prepared their strategies to afford this reality. The May 27 elections were an opportunity to take advantage from this situation.
The charge of the right prepares the wayThe PP moved to Navarra their batteries to intensify their pressure over the PSOE before the elections. On March 17 they called on the Spanish right to attend a meeting in Iruñea in order to put Zapatero on the ropes: "If he gives away to the need of a change felt in Navarra, he will put Navarra in the hands of the Basque nationalist, of ETA... It would mean a breakdown of the Estate pacts, and so the PSOE would have to explain to the whole Spain this treason". This belligerent strategy worked within the PSOE; once again, the PP marked them the way they had to follow.
The ambiguity of the PSOE and their branch in NavarraPSOE's answer to this PP's message is not the one that should have been; once again the PSOE are ambiguous: they answered PP but not strongly enough. The Navarra Socialist Party (PSN), which is completely integrated in PSOE, play a defensive game, reject a pact with the moderate nationalism of Nafarroa Bai, and tolerate the PP's insults. During the electorate campaign, the PSN main slogan is "the people have to choose", which means that the PSN will respect the political change claimed by Navarra people.
The dark interest of the reformist nationalismThe coalition Nafarroa Bai is a conglomeration of forces with confused political objectives. The most notorious face is Aralar, a split of the Basque left, but is supported and managed by PNV, the main force in Euskadi but weak in Navarra. The PNV have gotten to unite all the moderate nationalism and leave outside Batasuna, the main nationalist force in Navarra. Nafarroa Bai start talks with PSN to reach a pact that allows remove UPN from the government in Navarra. The idea is almost perfect: remove UPN from the government, and Batasuna from the Navarra society; the reformist nationalism and the progressive socialism would be the ones to operate the change, they would answer the people's will, and they would become the reference in the Navarra of the future. At the same time, the main issues would be postponed: the new political frame, the issue of the territoriality, the respect for the decision of the Basque people, equal opportunities for all the political projects, including the independent one... None of the partners wanted to deal with these difficult issues. They prefer to support a cosmetic change managed by themselves.
But, an obstacle for this plan is the existence in Navarra of an important part of the society that supports the sovereignty project. The solution? Very easy: illegalize them; condemn them to marginality in order to operate without an uncomfortable and exigent opposition.
The ignored warnings made by the Basque leftLong time before, the Basque left sent two clear messages:
First: the forces must be united to remove UPN; this reactionary force must not govern again Navarra; the people's claim for a change was clearly justified. The reformist change was condemned to fail, because the only way to remove UPN was unite all the other forces. Without Batasuna, the try would fail.
The second message was addressed to the ones that promote a change resorting to apartheid. This strategy is clearly anti-democratic; because it is impossible to defend the people's will and, at the same time, to deny a political force (working with this very aim) basic rights. Besides, the Basque left warned that the PSOE was not trustworthy. After the talks the Basque left had with PSOE, the Basque left new very well PSOE's intentions: PSEO would not allow any substantial change neither would respect the agreements. But nobody pay attention to these warnings made by the Basque left, although what happened later showed they were right.
When State interest prevail over the people's willThe result of May 27 were capricious: to get a progressive coalition in Iruñea's City Hall the Basque left support was needed. The Basque left was legal in this institution. To get a progressive govern in the Navarra Parliament the forces were enough, even without the Basque left, illegal in this institution.
The very complicated process to conform the Navarra institutions was discovering little by little the reality: the PSOE did not want to make any step meaning to remove UPN. Their promises were false, an also their electoral slogan "respect the people's will". Neither wanted the PSEO to make a pact with Nafarroa Bai. The PSOE and the PP have reached an agreement in Madrid behind Navarra people's back, even behind some sectors of the Navarra socialist that supported the change.
State interest prevailed over the people's will. Nafarroa Bai were forgetting all their nationalist claims. There was a little revolt inside PSN because of the decision taken in Madrid, but it was useless: PSOE and PP took an oath: to safeguard the Spanish interest.
As a result, several points are now crystal clear: that Navarra a key piece in Spain, that the will of Navarra people is not important at all, that PSOE's promises are not trustworthy, that the reformist nationalism is doomed to fail, and that the Basque left analysis was right: the need to unite forces to get a democratic and pro-sovereignty front. Only the people save the people.
Euskal Herria, September 10, 2007
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