Basque nationalism

Sabino Arana was the creator of many symbols of Basque nationalism, including the ikurriña, the Basque flag.

The seven provinces or countries (in Basque, herrialdeak) of Euskal Herria, covering territories belonging to Spain and France. Some nationalists consider the Alta Navarra and the Baja Navarra as a single province: Navarra, which would reduce the number of provinces to six.
It is included in Euskal Herria Treviño County (Burgos) and Villaverde Valley (Cantabria). Sometimes the Navarre exclave of Petilla de Aragón is excluded. There are also minority irredentistic positions that claim other territories such as La Rioja, the Mena Valley, Miranda de Ebro or Bearne.

Basque nationalism (in Basque, eusko abertzaletasuna) is a heterogeneous set of political ideologies that have in common the consideration that there is a nation Basque, who lives in a certain territory, called either Euskal Herria, or Euskadi, and who bets, in different ways and not always towards independence, for the manifestation of this people as a political subject holder of the right of self-determination before Spain and France. In general, it defends the cultural and political unity of Euskal Herria and the Basque cultural identity, especially in relation to the Basque language.

Basque nationalism arose at the end of the 19th century after the defeat of the supporters of Carlos de Borbón in the third Carlist war and the replacement of the fueros and laws of medieval origin by the economic agreement. Originally Catholic, traditionalist and racialist, it became secularized after the end of the Spanish Civil War and World War II, abandoning to a certain extent the concept of the Basque race for the protection of language and culture.

Currently, the two great currents of Basque nationalism are, on the one hand, that represented by the Basque Nationalist Party and, on the other hand, the Abertzale left, the latter being openly pro-independence and anti-capitalist and the first pactista and democristiana. Currently all the nationalist political forces are democrats and are contesting the Spanish and French elections. Historically, a large part of the nationalist left has defended the use of violence, especially in the environment of Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) but also by the Iparretarrak, the Anticapitalist Autonomous Commandos, groups of hooliganss and others. political and union organizations.

Basque nationalism is more widespread in rural areas and among the Basque-speaking population, but it also has support from other social sectors. His electoral support is concentrated in Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa and the northern half of Navarra. He has less support in Álava, in the center and south of Navarra and in the French Basque Country.

According to a series of Euskobarometer surveys carried out in 2016, 46% of the inhabitants of the Basque Autonomous Community feel only Basque or more Basque than Spanish, while the other 54% feel as Basque as Spanish, more Spanish that Basque or only Spanish. The survey does not include the inhabitants of Navarre or the French Basque Country. According to the 2016 Euskobarometer, 46% of Basques consider themselves nationalist compared to 50% who do not consider themselves nationalist.

History

Antecedents and allegations of a pre-nationalist Basque-Navarre patriot sentiment

• According to nationalist columnists like José Mari Esparza in the centuryVIIFredegario mentions the "Wasconum nationem", However, it is important to remember that the Latin word nationem does not mean the same as the term nation, and that the idea of the nation-state does not arise until the Modern Age.

• Joannes Leizarraga, in the dedication to Queen Joanna of Albret of her translation of the New Testament (1571), states:^{[chuckles]required]}

However, being sure that the Basques, among all other nations, are not so barbarous that we cannot recognize and praise the Lord in our tongue.

• In 1643 Peter of Axular specifies the territories that constitute Euskal Herria: "Ceren anhitz mouldz eta differenqui minçatcen baitira Euskal herrian, Naffarroa garayan, Naffarroa berrean, Çuberoan, Lapurdin, Bizcayan, Guipuzcoan, Alaba-herrian eta bertce anhitz leccutan".^{[chuckles]required]}

• The Deputation of the Kingdom of Navarra repeatedly expresses in a text of 1672 the term "Bascongada Nation" referring to "their children, and natural"and those of theLordship of Vizcaya, and Provinces of Guipúzcoa and Alava"^{[chuckles]required]}

• The Jesuit priest Manuel de Larramendi (1690-1766) wrote several works in defense of the euskera and used already in the centuryXVIII the term “bascongated nation”. Larramendi was a defender of foralism and the universal hidalgy of the Basques. Nor should we understand the use of the terms “nation” and “Republic” as used in the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

The United Provinces of the Pyrenees Project is undoubtedly magnificent and spicy (hermoso). A republic that will become famous with its aristocratic or democratic government, as it best seems, taking from the ancient republics everything that made them famous and noisy in the world, and from the modern everything that is convenient for their duration and subsistence.

• The same as Juan de Perochegui, who in 1769 published his book entitled "Origen de la Nación Bascongada y de su lengua".

• The Keys Landázuri already speaks in 1780 of "Bascongado"and in 1798 he publishes his work."Civil history of M. N. and M. L. Province of Álava", in which he points out the traditional independence of Álava and Vizcaya. This work generated a great controversy and began a time of publications in defense of the independence of the Basque territories as that made by Pedro Novia de Salcedo in his book "Historical legislative and economic defense of the Lord of Vizcaya and Provinces of Álava and Guipúzcoa", also accepting this thesis non- Basque authors such as Pérez Villamil, Vicente de la Fuente, Danvila and Collado and Oliver Hurtado; in opposition to the same one is Luis Salazar and Castro.

• After the first French invasion of 1794, the foral deputies of Guipúzcoa José Fernando de Echave Asu and Romero and Joaquín María de Barroeta and Aldamar, in order to avoid annexation to France, ask to form an independent province of Guipúzcoa protected by the Republic, which is not accepted by the French, who demand the Gipuzcoans their voluntary annexation to the country if they do not want to be conquered.

• From the outside, in 1801, the German researcher Humboldt travels the territory and expressly calls it "Basque nation".^{[chuckles]required]}

• In 1810 Labour Senator Dominique Joseph Garat, who considered the Basque descendants of the Phoenicians, proposed to Napoleon the formation of a "National Basque State" to be called New Fenicia with the territories on both sides of the Pyrenees, which would be grouped into two departments, New Tyre and New Sidon, and whose flag and shield were those of Navarre, which he considered were those of the ships of Tyre

• Juan Antonio de Iza Zamácola publishes in 1818 "History of the Basca nations of one and another part of the Northern Pyrenees and coasts of the Cantabrian Sea (Auch, 1818, three vols). "

• Suletino Augustin Chaho is considered a predecessor of Basque nationalism, since in 1836 he makes an explicit formulation of Basque nationalism in his book “Viaje por Navarra durante la insurrección de los vascos”.

• In his memories (1852), Francisco Espoz and Mina expressed: "The Guipuzcoans, Vizcaínos and Alaves in the interest of rights and nationality have always marched together with the Navarros".

• In 1864, the delegation of Navarre invited the other three to participate in a joint project called "Laurac bat", that is, "Four, one".

• Nationalism grew stronger at the end of the 19th century, following the centralist policy pursued after the Third Carlist War, which led to the almost total suppression of the bulls (its own laws). (See Law on Action)

• In 1881 Pedro de Soraluce-Zubizarreta is the author of a flag Euskal-Erria (sic)red by Navarre and white by three Bascongadas Provinces that parades in Paris in that year in a tribute to Victor Hugo. It was accompanied by a golden star at each angle, a shield with those of the four provinces crowned by the royal crown, in each barracks a head of purple king to remember the lauburu and the Laurac-bat currency on a ribbon with the colors of Spain, in memory of the Basque-navarra brotherhood.

• The first openly nationalist political party is the Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ-PNV) founded in 1895 by Sabino Arana, who was in favour of the independence of Vizcaya and of a confederation of Basque States, although in its beginnings he based his approaches on the principles of romantic nationalism of the time, including racism.

19th and 20th century

Modern Basque nationalism arose in the XIX century and continues to the present day. Due to the extension of the subject, his career has been collected in "History of Basque nationalism".

Basque nationalism has its antecedents at the end of the XVIII century, in the philosophy of Herder and his concept of Volksgeist, (“the will of the people”), an idea that was later followed and developed by authors such as Fichte and Schelling (see Antecedents of Basque nationalism).

Some authors go back to the time of the origin and splendor of the old Kingdom of Navarra in which they see the origins of this ideological movement.

In 1780 Landázuri from Alava spoke of Bascongado country. In 1801, the German researcher Humboldt toured the region and expressly recognized it as a Basque nation.

Ten years later, in 1811, Senator Garat from Labour, who believed the Basques were descendants of the Phoenicians, proposed to Emperor Napoleon the formation of a "Basque National State" that would be called Nueva Phoenicia with the territories on both sides of the Pyrenees, which would be grouped into two departments, Nueva Tiro and Nueva Sidon, and whose flag and coat of arms would be those of Navarra, which he considers were those of the ships of Tire. The Diputación de Navarra was precisely the institution that, in 1864, invited the other three to participate in a joint project that it called "Laurac bat" (four provinces united in one), in memory of the unity of the four territories of the peninsular Vasconia.

Among the theoreticians of Basque nationalism at the beginning of the XX century, we would find Fray Evangelista de Ibero and Engracio de Aranzadi.

The nationalism of Sabino Arana

Sabino Arana.

In 1892 Sabino Arana Goiri published the book Bizkaya for its independence, which represents the birth certificate of Basque nationalism. Ten years earlier, when he was 17, his "conversion" from Carlism to Bizkaitarra nationalism took place thanks to his brother Luis Arana convincing him —an event that occurred on Easter Sunday, which since 1932, the fiftieth anniversary of the event, the PNV commemorated it as Aberri Eguna or Day of the Basque Homeland.

His political doctrine materialized in June of the following year in Larrazábal's speech, in which he explained that the political objective of the book Bizcaya for its independence was to awaken the national consciousness of the people of Biscay, since Spain was not his homeland but Vizcaya and he adopted the motto Jaun-Goikua eta Lagi-Zarra (JEL, 'God and Old Law'), a synthesis of his nationalist program. That same year, 1893, he began to publish the newspaper Bizkaitarra, in which he declared himself "anti-liberal" and "anti-Spanish" —for the latter, on which he held very radical ideas, he spent half a year in jail and the newspaper was suspended.

Head of the newspaper Bizkaitarra with the motto Jaun-Goikua eta Lagi Zarra ('God and Old Law') that will also be that of the PNV.

The Basque nationalist proposal of Sabino Arana was based on the following ideas:

• A “organic-historicist” (or “essentialist”) conception of the Basque nation—the nations always exist regardless of the will of their inhabitants—their own “being” are the Catholic religion and the Basque race—identified by the surnames and not by the place of birth, hence requiring the first four Basque surnames to be a member of the first Batzoki, although the PNusV later reduced the "If we were to choose between a Bizcaya populated of maketos that only speak the euskera and a Bizcaya populated of bizcaínos that only speak Spanish, we would choose without doubting this second because it is preferable the bizcaine substance with exotic accidents that can be removed and replaced by the natural ones, to an exotic substance with bizcain properties that could never change it", wrote Sabino Arpú Catalan Errors.

Sabino Arana in Larrinaga prison in 1895

• The Catholic fundamentalism and providentialism that leads him to reject liberalism, for this “removes us from our last end, which is God”, and consequently to demand the independence of liberal Spain, and thus achieve the religious salvation of the Basque people. "Bizkaya, dependent on Spain, cannot address God, cannot be Catholic in practice," he said, and that is why he proclaimed that his cry for independence "Only for GOD has RESONED."
• The Basque nation understood as an antagonistic of the Spanish nation—they are distinct "races"—for they have been enemies since ancient times. Vizcaya, like Guipuzcoa, Álava and Navarre, always fought for their independence in front of Spain, which they achieved when the "Spanish" kings had no choice but to grant them their idols. Since then, according to Arana, the four territories were independent from Spain and each other, until in 1839 the jurisdictions were subordinated to the Spanish Constitution, since according to Arana, unlike the courts, Basque courts and Spanish Constitution were incompatible. "The year 39 Bizcaya fell definitively under the power of Spain. Our homeland Bizkaya, an independent nation that was, with its own power and right, became a Spanish province, a part of the most degraded and abject nation in Europe," Arana wrote in 1894.

Ikurriña with the proportions of the original design of the brothers Luis and Sabino Arana.

• The Basque village — defined racially, not linguistically or culturally — has been "degenerating" in a dilated process that culminates in the centuryXIX with the disappearance of the Fueros. In this process, the Spanish immigrants who have come — "invaded", according to Arana— to the Basque Country to work in their mines and factories—these are the ones that have arrived in the country. machetes— they are the culprits of all evils: of the disappearance of traditional society—with industrialization, hence the initial anticapitalism and the idealization of the rural world of Arana: “It was poor Bizcaya and had nothing but fields and cattle, and we would then be patriots and happy”—and of its culture based on the Catholic religion—with the arrival of modern anti-religious ideas, such as “the unbeliefful, all”
• The only way to end the “degeneration” of the Basque race is to regain its independence from Spain, returning to the situation before 1839—the fundamental thing, according to Arana, was to demand the repeal of the law of 1839, not that of 1876. Once independence was attained, a Confederation of Basque States would be constituted with the former fornal territories of both sides of the Pyrenees—Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa, Álava and Navarra, from the southern part; Benabarra, Lapurdi and Zuberoa, from the northern part. This Confederation, which Euskadi called, would be based on the “unity of race, as far as possible” and on the “Catholic unity”, so that only the Basques of race and the Catholic confessionals would be accommodated in it, not only the immigrants excluded. machetes but also the Basques of liberal, republican or socialist ideology.

The Basque Nationalist Party

In 1894, Sabino Arana founded the Euskeldun Batzokija, the first batzoki, a very closed nationalist and fundamentalist Catholic center, as it only had a hundred members due to the rigid admission conditions. It was also closed down by the government, but it was the embryo of the Basque Nationalist Party (Eusko Alderdi JELtzalea, EAJ-PNV) founded in secrecy on July 31, 1895 —festival of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, on whom Arana admired. Two years later, Arana adopted the neologism Euskadi —country of the euzkos or Basques by race—, since he did not like the traditional name of Euskalerria —people who speak Euskera.

The EAJ-PNV, founded in the context of the romanticism current, was organizationally innovative for its time in comparison with the traditional parties, which were very little participatory and had an iron structure of "parties cadres", with the exception of the PSOE.

The Aranas were concerned that their party would form a social base having as reference the "batzokis", configured as Basque centers that would constitute something more than headquarters of a party. These were endowed with an internal democratic and participatory functioning among their members, who initially had their affiliation restricted, and even entry, by virtue of their genuinely Basque origins. The members of these centers themselves were the ones who appointed the representatives and positions of the party. Today there are almost two hundred.

This party had more support in rural areas than in large cities; Certain authors point out that, analyzing the elected nationalists of that time, it can be deduced that they belonged mostly to the middle class, mostly self-employed, from the rural environment.

The rise of the abertzale left

Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA)

Emblem of ETA

ETA was a terrorist organization whose main objective was the construction of a socialist state in Euskal Herria and its independence from Spain and France. Its members, called "ETARRAs", used murder, kidnapping and economic extortion to achieve this end. 95% of ETA murders took place after the death of Francisco Franco. Most of them took place in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Most of those killed were civil guards, police officers and soldiers, although 41% of their fatalities were civilians, including: judges, PSOE and PP politicians, journalists, businessmen and professors, most of them Basque, as well as other people whose death in attacks and explosions has been considered by ETA as collateral damage.

Basque nationalism in the 21st century

Political and union organizations

Euskal Herria Bildu is a political coalition of left abertzale parties and is the second Basque nationalist party by number of voters. In France, it maintains a political agreement with Euskal Herria Bai.

News

Taking into account the disparity of existing ideological positions, these are the main Basque nationalist parties:

• Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea - Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ-PNV): considered the first party of Basque nationalism, was founded in 1895 by Sabino Arana Goiri and ruled the Basque Country alone or in coalition from the Transition to 2009 without interruption, the PSE-EE would happen during a legislature and would return to the Government in 2012. The word jeltzale It comes from the acronyms JEL, which means "Jaungoikoa eta Lege Zarra", God and the Old Law (referring to the bulls) in Basque. This was an answer to the Carlist anthem God, homeland and king.

• Eusko Alkartasuna (EA): Basque Solidarity in Spanish. Founded by former lehendakari Carlos Garaikoetxea in 1986 as excision of the PNV. He has ruled in various coalitions with the PNV in the Basque Country from 1994 to 2009.

• Sortu: Surgir or Create in Spanish. Political party formed in 2011 by independent sectors of the left abertzale. It comes to occupy the space left by Batasuna, abertzale training illegalized in Spain in 2003 and self-disbanded in France ten years later, where it was still legal.

• Aralar: takes the name of a mountain range with the same denomination between Navarre and Guipuzcoa. Founded by Patxi Zabaleta, it is a split of Herri Batasuna that rejects ETA violence. They are currently participating in Amaiur and Euskal Herria Bildu.

• Abertzaleen Batasuna (AB): translatable as Unity of Patriots, it is a Basque independence party that circumscribes its activity to the French Basque Country. Like Batzarre, he was in his day united to Batasuna, but he dissociated himself from the truce between 1998 and 1999.

• Geroa Bai (G.Bai): Yes to the Future in Spanish. Navarre coalition formed in 2011 and grouping the PNV and a group of independents. It defends the right of the Navarre to decide their future, considering itself a Navarrist-vasist coalition. It replaces the political sector occupied by Nafarroa Bai from the 2011 general elections following the integration of Aralar (owner of the electoral brand) in Amaiur.

• Izquierda Mirandesa: political party that acts in the town of Miranda de Ebro, in the province of Burgos. It encompasses on the left abertzale. It defends the change of province of Miranda, its region and Treviño County, from Burgos to Álava, and therefore to the autonomous community of Euskadi.

• Alternatiba: sovereign excision of Ezker Batua. Its scope is Euskal Herria, so they defend the right to self-determination and a greater self-government for their territories from an anti-capitalist perspective. It's part of Bildu.

• Hamaikabat (H1!): a political party that emerged in 2009 from an excision of Eusko Alkartasuna that did not support the commitment of the latter to the creation of a "sovereignist pole" on the left of the PNV. On 30 July 2011, and following the poor results achieved in the municipal and foreign elections of 22 May 2011, it was decided to dissolve the organization as a political party, keeping it temporarily to manage the positions that they retained and continue working as a political platform.

• Bildu: Meeting(se) in Spanish. Coalition of Eusko Alkartasuna, Alternatiba and independent of the left abertzale, formed in 2011 and of independentist, nationalist, sovereign and leftist ideology. Currently, the party of the Left Abertzale: Sortu is integrated into the Sovereign coalition.

• Amaiur: coalition formed by the members of Bildu more Aralar, which was presented to the 2011 general elections.

• Euskal Herria Bildu (EH Bildu): Reunir Euskal Herria in Spanish. Coalition formed by members of Amaiur along with Sortu, once legalized by the Constitutional Court. For the first time, elections were held in the Basque autonomics of 2012.

• Euskal Herria Bai (EH Bai): independentist formation of leftists based in the French Basque Country.

Historicals

• Basque Nationalist Action (EAE-ANV): was the first Basque nationalist left party. Founded in 1930 in response to the reunification of the PNV of the time, he was part of the Basque Government during the Second Republic and the Francoist dictatorship (in exile). He was presented to the general elections in 1979 and was one of the parties that formed Herri Batasuna. In 2007 he presented himself to the solo elections with representation in the councils and General Boards where his lists were not canceled. The training was illegalized by the Supreme Court on 18 September 2008 in estimating its link with the terrorist organization ETA and the illegalized Batasuna.

• Batasuna: Unit in Spanish. It emerges in 2001 from the consolidation of Euskal Herritarrok (EH) and Herri Batasuna (HB), the latter being the historical formation of the left abertzale. Illegalized in Spain in 2003 because of its link with ETA, it continued its activities as an association in France, until its dissolution in early 2013.

• Euskal Iraultzarako Alderdia (EIA): Party of the Basque Revolutioncreated by ETA (pm) in 1976 that led the Euskadiko Ezkerra coalition in 1977 and finally, in 1982, it converged with the Communist Party of Euskadi to form Euskadiko Ezkerra-Izquierda for Socialism.

• Herri Alderdi Sozialista Iraultzailea (HASI): Popular Revolutionary Socialist Party, emerged in 1977 by the merger of two other parties. Member of the Koordinadora Abertzale Sozialista, his ideology was Marxist-Leninist and independentist, and is considered as the closest party in his time to the terrorist organization ETA. He decided to self-disolve in 1992.

• Euskadiko Ezkerra (EE): Left of Euskadi in Spanish. Party emerged in 1977 as a coalition of EIA and Euskadiko Mugimendu Komunist, the first being a party linked to ETA-pm and the second a communist party coming from an ETA obrerist split. In 1982 he became a political party by converged EIA with the Communist Party of Euskadi and other smaller groups. It was merged in 1993 to the PSE, Basque federation of the PSOE, forming the current Socialist Party of Euskadi-Euskadiko Ezkerra.

• Herri Batasuna (HB): Popular Unity in Spanish. It emerged in 1978 as a coalition of four parties on the left abertzale: HASI, ESB-PSV, LAIA and ANV. In 1986 it is registered as a political party. In 2000, he disappeared when he decided to recast in Batasuna.

• Euskal Ezkerra (EuE): Left Basque in Spanish. Euskadiko Ezkerra's nationalist excision that did not accept the union with the PSE. It collided in 1993 with Eusko Alkartasuna but subsequently dissociated and announced its dissolution.

• Euskal Herritarrok (EH): Basque citizens in Spanish. Abertzale left electoral group formed in 1998, mostly composed of Herri Batasuna, which was initially joined by other smaller formations, such as Batzarre and Zutik. After the truce was broken by ETA in 2000, minority groups left EH. It was illegalized in 2003.

• Euskal Herrialdeetako Alderdi Komunist / Communist Party of the Basque Lands (EHAK/PCTV): Escision of Euskal Herritarrok with Stalinist communist ideology. He was openly supported by Batasuna, after his illegalization, to obtain representation in the Basque Parliament, but did not depend organically on it. Like ANV, it was illegalized by the Supreme Court on 18 September 2008.

• Nafarroa Bai (NaBai): Navarre. in Spanish. Navarre coalition formed in 2004 and grouping PNV, EA, Aralar and Batzarre parties together with a group of independents.

Mixed poses

Some parties, without claiming to be nationalists, defend their Basque character, being supporters of self-determination or, more moderately, of strengthening ties between the Basque Country and Navarre:

• Batzarre: Literally, Board. Small Basque leftist party of Navarre origin. He joined the Euskal Herritarrok coalition during ETA’s 1998 truce, but he dissociated himself from that coalition for his lack of condemnation of ETA terrorism after the truce rupture. From 2004 to 2011 he was part of the Nafarroa Bai coalition, to later join the United Left of Navarre.

• Euskal Herria (EKA) Carlist Party: Left-wing foralist party whose motto is "Socialism and Self-management", a supporter of the right of self-determination of the Basque people. It defends the union of the Basque-Spanish territories in the same political entity, with the full foral reintegration of the 1841 eras. Partidario de la confederación con el resto de pueblos de España.

• The Communist Party of Euskadi (PCE-EPK): The federation of the Communist Party of Spain does not defend nationalism, but self-determination for Euskal Herria in order to create a network of socialist republics.

• Ezker Batua-Berdeak, United Left (UI) benchmark in the Basque Country until 2011, advocates an intermediate model that they call "Federalism of free adherence", defends Basque self-determination and has shared government in the Basque Country along with PNV and EA. This trend was criticized by IU's central executives and by the supportive options of "Spanish nationalism".

• Zutik: Literally, standing or standing. It brought together nationalists and non-nationalists of the left in the Basque Country who believed possible a consensual solution to the Basque conflict that respected the different identities and sensitivities existing around Euskal Herria. Like Batzarre left Euskal Herritarrok in 2000. He finally announced his self-dissolution on 17 December 2011.

Trade Unions

• Euskal Langileen Alkartasuna-Solidarity of the Basque Workers (ELA-STV).

• Langile Abertzaleen Batzordeak (LAB), Commissions of Patriot Workers.

Symbols

Ikurriña

Lauburu

Arrano beltza

Basque nationalism, like other ideologies, has its own symbology:

• Aberri Eguna: Every Sunday of Resurrection the Basque nationalist parties celebrate the Aberri Eguna, the day of the Basque country.
• Aberri: Sabino Arana established the word "aberri" (home) for the first time to synthesize the existence of a word in Basque that would call the yearning of its ideology. With this same sense the concept "Euzkadi", a neologism created by Arana in the face of the concept "Euskal Herria", used extensively until then by the parties he considered "spañolists".
• Abertzale: from the word "aberri" is derived "abertzale" (patriot) which is frequently used by nationalist parties to refer to the community they represent.
• Ikurriña: literally, Flag, was designed by the Arana brothers to be in principle the flag of Vizcaya; its extension led to it being accepted as an official flag of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. Basque nationalism also symbolically adopts it as the flag of Euskal Herria.
• Lauburu: solar trail of unknown origin and very similar to symbols widespread by other cultures. Literally means "four heads"; some authors have established connections between this emblem, usual in the medieval tombs of the whole cantabrian cornice, with the cantabri jar. Nationalism has identified it as a symbol of the union of the four Basque territories in Spain (Álava, Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa and Navarra); to each of which would correspond one of the heads of the lauburu. This Union is nominally known as "Laurak bat" (the four in one) and would become "Zazpiak bat" (the seven in one), adding the three ultra-pirenalic territories (Labort, Sola and Baja Navarra).
• Arrano beltza: literally, black eagleIt was the seal of King Navarre Sancho VII the Fort. It is assimilated as the first flag of Vasconia.

Nationalist demonstrations

Basque nationalist demonstration in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Basque nationalism manifests itself in numerous cultural, social and sports spheres.

Within the latter, the ultra groups of the sports teams from the north of the Pyrenees claim nationalist objectives, around Euskal Hintxak, which would bring together ultra groups from various teams such as Indar Gorri from Osasuna from Pamplona, Zabaleta Harmaila from Real Sociedad de San Sebastián, Herri Norte Taldea or Abertzale Sur from Athletic Club, Iraultza 1921 from Club Deportivo Alavés.

In addition, to vindicate the official status of the Basque sports teams, he created the Platform for Basque National Teams (ESAIT).

Social support

The November 2007 data from the Euskobarómetro, periodic sociological studies carried out by the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) and directed by Francisco José Llera Ramo, Professor of Political Science and Administration, yield contradictory results: thus, 34% show great desires for independence, 22% have small desires for independence and 32% none.

According to this study, 39% are committed to autonomy, 30% to independence, 27% to federalism and only 1% would support centralism; 42% consider themselves nationalist, compared to 51% who consider themselves non-nationalist - with a marked decrease in the nationalist positions of the respondents, who in May 2006 were only one point away from non-nationalists, considering Spain as their nation 3% and as their country 18%.

In addition, in 2007, the study shows that 31% consider themselves as Basque as Spanish, 33% only Basque, 22% more Basque than Spanish, 5% only Spanish and 4% more Spanish than Basque.

On the other hand, the results obtained from the Basque Government Sociometer show, using a different methodology, other results. According to the Sociological Prospecting Cabinet in May 2006, 32% were "agree with the independence of the Basque Country" compared to 26% who thought in this sense in January 2007. This marked decrease is due to the fact that, while in 2006 19% "would agree or not according to the circumstances", in the January edition from 2007 the percentage rises to 35%. 28% disagreed in 2007 - compared to 35% who responded in this way the previous year - and those who do not know or do not answer rise from 15% to 11%.

However, in both studies the scope of the survey only includes the Basque Country, excluding both the Comunidad Foral de Navarra and the three provinces of the French Basque Country.

In the study presented by Eusko Ikaskuntza in March 2007 Basque identity and culture at the beginning of the 21st century, the opinions of all regions are reflected. It is an extensive investigation that consists of 147 pages in it, and of the total number of respondents, 44% say they feel more Basque than Spanish or French, 23% as Basque as Spanish or French, 12% more Spanish or French than Basque, 7% more Navarrese than Basque, 4% as Spanish as Navarre, 3% as Basque as Navarre and 7% others.

During the 2012 Basque Parliament election campaign and in line with the debate on independence that arose in Catalonia after the demonstration on September 11, 2012, the newspaper Gara published a survey on the independence. When asked if the Basques would support independence, 51% would vote against and 49% in favour. The majority of Basques (56.4%) did not answer whether this independence would improve or worsen conditions in the Basque Country.

As of December 13, 2017, in the middle of the Catalan sovereignist process, the Deustobarómetro published an opinion survey of Basque society in which support for the independence of the Basque Country was at a "historic low" of 14.3%, while 29.5% were satisfied with the autonomy they had and 39.7% opted for greater autonomy. 42.6% of Basque society was opposed to holding a referendum on sovereignty compared to 39.3% who defended it. In the event that there were ballot boxes, 42% would vote no, compared to 23% who would vote yes.

On December 15, 2017, the Euskobarómetro data were published, indicating that 58% of the population supported a referendum in the region, compared to 33% who did not, and that, in the case of If there were, 47% would vote no, compared to 33% who would vote yes. According to the survey, regardless of the political formula of the Basque self-government, 30% of the citizens state that they have great desires for independence. Faced with these, 59% of Basques "have little or no desire for independence". On the other hand, 66% refused to initiate a process similar to the Catalan one in the Basque Country and 81% believed that the 1-O referendum could not be considered "fully legal and valid".