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The Change of Attitudes and the Nationalist Vote in the Spanish Basque Country since the Democratic Transition

2009; University of Montpellier; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

1960-6656

Mathieu Petithomme,

Spanish History and Politics

Just as in the end of the 19th century, two cleavages still run through Basque society over the left-right and the independence-centralism dimensions, with respective sociological assets remaining territorially differentiated. Even though a double majority prevails in the negative and consensual rejection of centralism and in positive support for autonomy, there is no consensus over the more appropriate type of government for this autonomous community. Rather, there persists three minorities that must coexist. Following the democratic transition, however, this social pluralism has evolved toward the reinforcement of non-nationalist sentiments and even toward votes for nationwide parties, putting under relative threat the traditional hegemony of the Basque Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Vasco—PNV). The party’s ideological ambiguity with regard to the prospect of independence has historically granted it a function of political integration overhanging society while reconciling radical nationalism with liberal autonomist claims.