How has the peace process in Northern Ireland affected Basque politics?
The mainstream Basque Nationalist Party, who has held the power in the region’s government for 20 years, established in 1998 a dialogue with ETA and its political wing, Herri Batasuna, under the heading The Irish Forum. They discussed the lessons that could be learned from the experience of Northern Ireland. Inigo Gurruchaga The outcome of the dialogue was an agreement between the different strands of Basque nationalism to cooperate in a common political programme seeking a constitutional change for the region. Only days after that agreement, in September 1998, ETA declared an unconditional ceasefire. All this was clearly inspired by the early work undertaken by Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume, and Republican leader Gerry Adams at the early stages of the Northern Ireland peace process. Why has Spain not attempted Northern Ireland style negotiations? Basque nationalists did not take their agreement to the political parties who are in favour of the Basque country remaining as a part o
