Protesters back Basque pro-independence party
BILBAO, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of separatists rallied in the troubled northern Basque region on Saturday to demand from the government that it allows a newly launched pro-independence party to run in upcoming elections.
However, Spain's attorney general on Friday said it was merely a repackaged version of Batasuna, a party banned in 2003 on grounds it was part of ETA. It is up to a special section of the Supreme Court to decide on the new party's legal status.
Protesters began marching peacefully and largely in silence through downtown streets in the port city of Bilbao under banners reading, "Toward peace, legalization."
"Hope has begun to enter into Basque society and we want it to be for good this time," said separatist leader Kontxita Beitia at the end of the rally.
The attorney general's office said it would file its request that the court ban Sortu by March 11. It is likely that the court will not have enough time to arrive at a ruling before May 22, the election date, which will rule them out from running in the Basque regional polls.
Should Sortu be allowed to run it would give separatist politicians access to local and regional government posts and financial benefits that come with them.
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