Spain: Basque separatists make historic gains but fail to win election outright
A leftwing coalition of Basque separatists partly descended from the political wing of the defunct terrorist group Eta has made historic election gains in the northern Spanish region, but was pipped to first place by the ruling, centrist Basque Nationalist party (PNV).
Although polls had suggested EH Bildu’s transformation into a “catch-all party” through its focus on issues such as housing and healthcare would allow it to leapfrog the PNV, the predicted sharp rise failed to materialise.
The PNV won 27 seats and 35.2% of the vote, while Bildu won 27 seats and 32.5% of the vote. The regional branch of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE), took 12 seats and 14.2% of the vote, while the conservative People’s party (PP) finished fourth with seven seats and 9.2% of the vote.
The leftwing Sumar platform – the junior partner in the national, PSOE-led coalition – won one seat, as did the far-right Vox party. The leftwing Podemos party suffered another electoral disaster, losing all of the six seats it won four years ago.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/22/basque-separatists-make-historic-gains-but-fail-to-win-election-outright-spain
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