Socialists and PP unite to thwart Batasuna candidates

The Socialist government and the main opposition Popular Party (PP) have reached a rare agreement to prevent Basque abertzale (radical nationalists) from surreptitiously putting forward candidates in local elections.

The cross-party pact aims to make changes to the Political Parties Law in time to stymie any attempt by the abertzale, the political heirs of the outlawed Batasuna party, from embedding candidates from illegal groupings - i.e. those who refuse to denounce ETA violence - in the electoral lists of legitimate parties.

The Eusko Alkartasuna (EA) party, which supports Basque independence through political means, presents such an opportunity for extremists to ensconce themselves in ballots for the 2011 local elections. Under the proposed reform to the 2002 law, it would be possible to annul the candidacy of a runner from an illegal party but would not imply the illegalization of the party itself.

The reform would allow longer periods for a challenge to be mounted against candidatures from illegal parties and also moots the introduction of the so-called "incompatible succession," whereby members of the abertzale who gained seats via a legitimate party could be removed if it were to be later outlawed - unless the councilor or mayor in question were to condemn violence within a 15-day period.

"It is an attempt to make it more difficult for terrorists to enter Basque and Navarran institutions," said Socialist Txiqui Benegas, who presented the proposal alongside the PP's Antonio Bermúdez de Castro. The latter stressed the determination of the two parties to put an end to ETA violence but added that it "will not receive compensation" in the political sphere.