There are now two institutions in which the PNV and EH Bildu come together to demand the incorporation of the “right to decide” in the reform of the Statute of Guernica. First, last week, during the General Assemblies of Gipuzkoa, where they jointly approved two motions relating to this demand. An initiative that extends today to those of Vizcaya, where they also have a majority that they activated to give the green light to a resolution from the independence left in favor of the new statutory text, awaiting negotiation , understanding this euphemism once referred to the self-determination of the Basque Country.
This is one of the central questions of the current legislature and one that new tensions are generated within the coalition government between the PNV and the Basque Socialist Party (PSE). Socialists understand that it is important to address statutory reform, embodied in the government agreement under the name “New Statutory Pact”, but that the question of the right to decide, inseparable from the sovereign intention to create a Independent state of Spain, is “a waking dream expires.”
“While some are working to talk about a new political status, which is nothing other than the right to self-determination, others are working on housing and employment policies… We let’s not deviate from this path,” declared the Secretary of State. PES general Eneko Andueza said yesterday. This is not the first dart they have sent to their partners in the Executive regional who, although they repeatedly raise their voice against Aberzale’s left – most recently around the Venezuelan crisis – on the question of identity, they are closer than their words describe.
Already last Sunday, during Alderdi Eguna (Party Day), Andoni Ortuzar, president of the executive body of the PNV, neglected the issue related to self-determination, just as the Lendakari, Imanol Pradales, did in other occasions since the debate was on the agenda. Ortuzar focused his speech on reminding Pedro Sánchez of what had been agreed to facilitate his inauguration in November last year: a negotiation on the updating of the Statute which includes the national recognition of the region and a system of guarantees based on a bilateral relationship with Spain.
Cocktail in which the right to decide is missing as a condiment, a real touchstone that EH Bildu continues to push to the center of conversations every time he has the opportunity, knowing that the electoral dynamics favor them and the attrition that the PNV experiences. The two formations They agree to see a “window of opportunity” to promote their nationalist theses It is because of the complex situation that Pedro Sánchez must keep his legislature afloat. The first to express it was the general coordinator of EH Bildu, Arnaldo Otegi, when during the summer he declared that the President of the Government was willing to explore a “new territorial model”. Last Sunday, Ortuzar, in the fields of Foronda (Álava), said: “The Basque political actors coincide with the majority political actors in Madrid. […] Let’s enjoy it.”
With this in mind, Otegi proposed that negotiations on the new status take place only between nationalist forces. Something that the PNV rejected in principle, but which, until now, In practice, he has not distanced himself from any of the initiatives launched by the sovereignists on this issue. It should be remembered that the two parties have 54 seats in the Basque Parliament out of the 75 in the chamber (38 is the absolute majority), where the reform will have to be approved before being sent to the Congress of Deputies, as specified in the Government agreement between Penisuvists and Socialists.
Thus, from the PES, they demand that the people of Ortuzar “speak clearly” about their intentions regarding “an adventure in which the PES will not participate.” Even if they try to remain silent and downplay the importance of the issue, they recognize that defending the right to decide is fundamental to the PNV and insist that if they decide to put it on the table in the negotiations which will open with the different political parties, they will be the first to be informed.
