Bayonne on 14.11.06 : Communiqué from EAJ - PNB
A'Pays Basque' department and an independent Euskadi Autonomous Community : a majority of the population favourable. Relation to Basque identity is evolving positively in the north Basque Country, as the growing influence of the abertzale movement demonstrates.
A survey that was carried out on behalf of Radio Euskadi confirms this phenomenon. 48.5% of the population are favourable to the creation of a 'Pays Basque' department while 30.5% are unfavourable. The rest of the population did not give their opinion.
75.3% of the population consider Iparralde as part of the Basque Country against 13.5% who think the opposite. 75,3% agree that Basques should be entitled the right to self-determination.
34% considered the Basque Country to be a nation. 29,5% are even in favour of its independence against 28.4% that are unfavourable. The rest of the population either do not give their opinion or would abstain from voting.
These results confirm the progressive 'abertzalisation' process of the population. Although the French government has unfairly refused any institutional concession for twenty years, it is now progressively losing ground, as the successive surveys have recently demonstrated.
Similarly, 'abertzalism' is still very popular in the Basque autonomous community. 66% of the population consider that the future of the Basque Country should be exclusively in the hands of its inhabitants.
In case a referendum on independence is organised, 45% of the Basque citizens would vote favourably against 25%. 30% do not give their opinion or would not vote at all.
Despite attempts to denigrate our movement, it is obvious that 'abertzalism' benefits from a strong popular support, which remains its main assets.
The above-mentioned survey was carried out from 18th to 25th Ocotber by the Gizaker agency, which interviewed 1000 people all over the Basque Country. 200 of these people where from the north Basque Country.
National Basque Party See website