- The Bagira process has reflected on the guidelines for the future of the Abertzale movement in the Northern Basque Country and has presented the main conclusions. The survey was answered by 1,500 people. They have defined five themes that will be the main challenges of the movement: Euskera, housing, climate change, social struggles and peasant struggle.
The Abertzale movement has collected 1,500 surveys. Coordinators are satisfied with the participation and responses given. Txomin Poveda, from the Steering Committee of the Bagira process, states: “The Abertzale movement has demonstrated its ability to unite and take a time of tension and reflection.”
Five challenges
At the institutional level, most respondents are favorable to reinvigorate dynamics to take a more institutional step. They have argued that the institutional instrument should go higher with the territorial community, that the march should be restarted on an institution in the Basque Country, that a status of autonomy should be demanded for the Northern Basque Country, and that it should be strengthened and become the Basque Urban College.
The movement has prioritized five main axes that should act together with institutional demands: Euskera, housing, climate change, social and peasant struggles and the defense of farmland. Following these five axes, other issues have been raised strongly and the Steering Committee has pointed out that solutions will also have to be found in the coming years. These issues are the fight for gender equality, generational renewal and youth dynamics.
Main conclusions
Beyond future challenges, the drivers of the process have drawn a number of conclusions after the reflection process.
First, despite the multiple characteristics of the respondents, the results of the survey show clear majorities on the themes. Secondly, the fusion between the militant dynamics and the broad militant base of the Abertzale movement. Thirdly, the respondents have ratified their adherence to the historical foundations of nationalism, both Basque, political and material sovereignty, and sentimental adherence to Basque Country. They have also linked nationalism to socialism, environmentalism and feminism. Fourthly, they underline a multilingual and transformative activism in favour of nationalism.
Presentation of results
They will present their results in the coming weeks and will be able to reflect on the challenges ahead. The key dates will be: Gazte Eguna on December 2, January 27 and Aberri Eguna on March 31. This last day Bagira will end the process.