ETA ended in October 2011 after half a century of terror, and was dissolved in May 2018. Since then, the Basque Country has made progress towards political and social normalization, with one of the highlights being the participation of the abertzale left in mainstream institutions. However, EH Bildu, the coalition representing the abertzale left, has failed to clearly confront its past political complicity with the terrorist group. In a recent interview, their candidate for lehendakari, Pello Otxandiano, struggled to acknowledge ETA as a terrorist organization and unequivocally condemn their criminal history, which resulted in more than 850 deaths.
Over the years, EH Bildu has taken significant steps towards reconciliation with victims—acknowledging that their pain should never have occurred—and unequivocally rejecting violence. However, they still need to recognize explicitly that ETA should never have existed, that terrorism was never justifiable, and that the abertzale left was politically aligned with them for too long, even though ultimately contributing to their disarmament and dissolution. It is primarily the responsibility of Sortu, a key party within the coalition and successor to Batasuna, to address this deficit. Their statutes reject political violence, leading to their legalization by the Constitutional Court in 2012. Other members of the coalition, such as Aralar or Eusko Alkartasuna, have a clear track record of condemning terrorism.
EH Bildu is now on the verge of potentially winning Basque elections for the first time, having focused their campaign on the everyday issues of citizens. Their strategy, however, has been undermined by Otxandiano’s reluctance to acknowledge ETA’s terrorist nature, despite the fact that society, especially younger generations, increasingly see terrorism as something distant with little concern about ETA. Moving on from the past does not mean forgetting, and the memory of the victims and the history of terrorism must not be shaped by those who have yet to fully acknowledge their role in it.
In response to Otxandiano’s remarks, the government and the PSOE, particularly the Basque socialists, have taken a firm stance, despite the contradiction of relying on Bildu’s support in parliament. Criticism should not overshadow the fact that EH Bildu is a legal entity, that the PSOE does not share governance with them anywhere, and that other parties, including the PP, have voted alongside the abertzale left on multiple occasions. All democratic forces should be interested in EH Bildu fully addressing their debt to democracy, rather than turning this issue—linked to a fortunately overcome dramatic time—into partisan conflict.
It remains essential for EH Bildu to confront their past and unequivocally condemn ETA’s terrorist acts. The coalition has made progress in acknowledging victims’ suffering and rejecting violence, but they must explicitly recognize the mistakes of the past and fully commit to a democratic future. As the Basque Country continues to advance towards political and social normalization, it is crucial for all parties to work together towards a shared understanding of the region’s history and ensure that the memory of victims is honored and respected.
