Everything about Basque Country Autonomous Community totally explained
The
Basque Country (
Basque Euskadi,
Spanish País Vasco) autonomous community is an
autonomous community in the
Kingdom of Spain. The autonomous community obtained the status of
historical region within Spain with the
Spanish Constitution of 1978. The capital is
Vitoria-Gasteiz (
Vitoria is the name in Spanish,
Gasteiz in Basque).
The autonomous community of the Basque Country is part of the
whole Basque Country (Basque: "Euskal Herria").
The following
provinces make up the autonomous community:
Before the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and its system of autonomous communities, these three provinces were known in Spanish as the
Provincias Vascongadas. The political structure of the autonomous communities is defined in the
Gernika Statute, which was approved by a majority in a
referendum held on 25
October 1979.
In 2003, the governing
Basque Nationalist Party proposed to alter this statute through the
Ibarretxe Plan. The project, though approved by majority in the Basque chamber, was finally rejected by a large majority in the
Madrid Cortes Generales on the grounds that it contradicts the Spanish Constitution.
In this regard,
Basque nationalists cite the fact that in the
Spanish Constitution referendum –which was passed with a majority of votes in the Basque Country (1978)– the Basque Country had the highest
abstention (the Basque Nationalist Party had endorsed abstention on the grounds that the Constitution was being forced upon them without any Basque input). To this, the "no" vote in this referendum was also higher in the Basque Country than in the rest of the state. All in all, many Basques believe that they're not bound to a constitution that they never endorsed.
Government
The current laws configure the autonomous community as a federation of the three constituent provinces, which had been ruled locally since their incorporation to Castile in 1200 by their own laws and institutions in what is known as the
Foral System. These autonomous regimes, similar to the one for
Navarre, were curtailed in the 19th century, largely suspended
under Franco, but restored by the
Spanish Constitution of 1978.
The post-Franco Spanish Constitution of 1978 acknowledges "historical rights" and attempts compromise in the old conflict between
centralism and
federalism by the establishment of
autonomous communities (for example
Castile and Leon,
Catalonia, the
Valencian Community, etc). The provincial governments (
diputación foral) were restored only in the Basque Country and
Navarre, but many of their powers were transferred to the new government of the Basque Country and Navarra autonomous communities; however, the provinces still perform tax collection in their respective territories, coordinating with the Basque, Spanish and European governments.
Under this system the
Diputaciones Forales (Basque:
Foru Aldundiak) administer most of each of the provinces but are coordinated and centralized by the autonomous
Basque Government (Spanish
Gobierno Vasco, Basque:
Eusko Jaurlaritza).
The seats of the
Basque Parliament and Government are in
Vitoria-Gasteiz, but the
Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country provides for their transference to
Pamplona if Navarre ever decides to join the Basque Autonomous Community. The Parliament is composed of 25 representatives from each of the three provinces. The Basque Parliament elects the
Lehendakari (President) who forms a government following regular parliamentary procedures. So far all
Lehendakaris (even those in 1937 and during the exile) have been members of the
Basque Nationalist Party (Eusko Alderdi Jeltzalea) (moderate and
Christian-Democrat) since 1978. Despite their continued leadership role, they've not always enjoyed majorities for their party and have needed to form coalitions with either Spain wide parties or left-leaning Basque nationalist parties, often governing in a difficult minority position.
The
current government, led by
Juan José Ibarretxe (Eusko Alderdi Jeltzalea) is supported also by left-leaning nationalists of
Eusko Alkartasuna (Basque Solidarity) and Communist-dominated
Ezker Batua (United Left). Both non-regional parties,
Partido Socialista de Euskadi (federated to the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) and
Partido Popular (People's Party) are again in the opposition as are the radical nationalists of the Basque National Liberation Movement. The radical nationalists ran this time under the umbrella of a new formation that included the
Partido Comunista de las Tierras Vascas (Communist Party of the Basque Homelands).
The autonomous community has its own police force (the
Ertzaintza), controls the education and
health systems, and has a
Basque radio/TV station. These and other powers under the Guernica Statute have recently transferred by the
Cortes Generales.
Languages
Spanish and
Basque are co-official in all territories of the Community.
A 1984 language census showed that of the 2.1 million people in the Autonomous Region, 23 percent could understand Basque, 21 percent could speak it, but only 13 percent could read the language and only 10 percent could write it.
Territorial claims
The Statute provides for mechanisms for neighbour Navarre, which also has a Basque ethnic background and is claimed as the core of the nation by
Basque nationalists, to join the three western provinces if it wishes to do so. In such a case, the seat of the common administration would be moved to
Pamplona.
The Basque Government used the "
Laurak Bat", which included the arms of Navarre, as its symbol for many years. Navarre protested, and tribunals ruled in their favour. The Basque Government replaced it with an empty red field.
Navarre is just one of the territories that the community's nationalist government claim as Basque territory; there are also two enclaves
Treviño (Basque:
Trebiñu) and
Valle de Villaverde (Basque:
Villaverde-Turtzioz), which are completely surrounded by Basque territory but belong to the neighbour communities of
Castile-Leon and
Cantabria respectively.
Economy
The Basque Autonomous Community is one of the wealthiest regions in Spain, with
gross domestic product (GDP) per capita being 20.6% higher than that of the
European Union average in 2004, at $30,680 USD.
Major cities
Almost half of the Basque Country's population lives in
Greater Bilbao, Bilbao's metropolitan area. Of the ten most populated cities, six form part of Bilbao's
connurbation (Bilbao, Barakaldo, Getxo, Portugalete, Santurce and Basauri).
Bilbao (354,145)
Vitoria-Gasteiz (226,490)
San Sebastián (183,308)
Barakaldo (95,675)
Getxo (83,000)
Irún (59,557)
Portugalete (51,066)
Santurtzi (47,320)
Basauri (45,045)
Rentería (38,397)Further Information
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