The absent companion and the sorcerer’s apprentices: the origins of Herri Batasuna (1974-1980).

Authors

  • GAIZKA FERNÁNDEZ SOLDEVILLA

Keywords:

Basque nationalism, Transition, Terrorism, ETA, Basque Country.

Abstract

In 1974 the ETA split up in two rival organizations. ETAm tried to refrain from politics and concentrate on terrorism. ETApm chose to create a new political party, EIA. The elections that took place in 1977 were a major challenge for the Basque extreme nationalism, which assumed diverging strategies. ANV, ESB, ESEI and EIA decided to take part in it, the last one within the list of Euskadiko Ezkerra; ETAm, EHAS and LAIA backered the boycott. EE obtained two parliamentarians and betted on the institutional way. The high participation in the polls forced ETAm to change its plans. It kept ETA’s legacy most important share and, when HASI, LAIA, ANV and ESB created Herri Batasuna, ETAm took control of it.

Published

2010-05-19

Issue

Section

ARTICLES