Ibarretxe Plan
Encyclopedia
The Political statute of the Community of the Basque Country, more known as Ibarretxe Plan was a proposal by former lehendakari
Juan Jose Ibarretxe
to radically alter the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country
proposing a free association of the Basque Country
with Spain on an equal footing, and that including a right to self-determination.
It was inspired by Puerto Rico
status within the United States, also the sovereignty-association approach of the Parti Québécois
regarding Canada has been cited as a reference.
The plan was refused by the Spanish Parliament and subsequently replaced by also Ibarretxe's proposed Basque referendum, 2008
.
(Basque region President) Juan Jose Ibarretxe
in September 2001 before the Basque parliament's plenary of general politics but the actual contents of the proposal were not been made public until July 2003, after being leaked to the press. It was officially presented on October 25, 2003. The Basque Parliament's plenary approved it on 2004 December 30 by a narrow margin of 39 votes in favour to 35 opposed.
Since it radically affects the content of the current Spanish Constitution the proposal was sent on January 2005 to the Spanish Parliament to be debated and voted, being refused on February 1 by 313 votes against (PSOE
, PP
, IU
, Canary Coalition and CHA
), 29 votes in favour (PNV, ERC
, CiU, EA
, Na-Bai
and BNG
) and 2 abstentions (IC-V).
The plan did not spell out the different rights of the two categories but it seemed possible that, for example, it might lead to Spaniards who move to the Basque country being barred from voting in some elections.
The already powerful Basque regional government would gain further powers, and the Basque court system would be largely separated from the Spanish one.
The plan would give the Basque regional government the right to call referendums, opening the door to a possible future vote on independence, while removing a Spanish government right to suspend the regional government's powers
premier José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
, and leading academics viewed the Ibarretxe Plan as contrary to the Spanish Constitution, this view being shared by the main opposition party Partido Popular
.
It has been argued that other states of the European Union
(EU) would disagree with such a move, as many have separatist parties (such as in Corsica in France, Scotland and Northern Ireland in the UK, etc.) that would gain renewed strength in the light of a successful secession. Also, the European Parliament denied having anything to do with it, saying that it was a Spanish internal issue.
The Spanish reasoning is that that if the plan leads to a rupture between the Basque Country and the rest of Spain, the region would disassociate itself from Spain and the EU in such a way that the Basque Country would be able to re-enter the EU only after a complex negotiation process, in which any member state of the Union, including Spain, would have a veto right.
.
Lehendakari
The President of the Basque Government , usually known in English as the Basque regional president, is the head of government of Basque Country. The president leads the executive branch of the regional government....
Juan Jose Ibarretxe
Juan José Ibarretxe
Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu is a Basque politician of Spain. A leading member of the Basque Nationalist Party , he was President of Spain's Basque Country autonomous community from January 2, 1999 to May 7, 2009....
to radically alter the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country
Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country
The Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country is the legal document organizing the political system of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country' which includes the historical territories of Alava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa. It forms the region into one of the autonomous communities envisioned in...
proposing a free association of the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
with Spain on an equal footing, and that including a right to self-determination.
It was inspired by Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
status within the United States, also the sovereignty-association approach of the Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
regarding Canada has been cited as a reference.
The plan was refused by the Spanish Parliament and subsequently replaced by also Ibarretxe's proposed Basque referendum, 2008
Basque referendum, 2008
The proposed 2008 referendum was a poll intended to occur in the Basque Country in that year, but prevented by the Spanish government. The poll was to be a consultative referendum, in which two questions were put to the electorate, concerning self-determination from Spain...
.
Forging and demise
The plan was announced by the former lehendakariLehendakari
The President of the Basque Government , usually known in English as the Basque regional president, is the head of government of Basque Country. The president leads the executive branch of the regional government....
(Basque region President) Juan Jose Ibarretxe
Juan José Ibarretxe
Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu is a Basque politician of Spain. A leading member of the Basque Nationalist Party , he was President of Spain's Basque Country autonomous community from January 2, 1999 to May 7, 2009....
in September 2001 before the Basque parliament's plenary of general politics but the actual contents of the proposal were not been made public until July 2003, after being leaked to the press. It was officially presented on October 25, 2003. The Basque Parliament's plenary approved it on 2004 December 30 by a narrow margin of 39 votes in favour to 35 opposed.
Since it radically affects the content of the current Spanish Constitution the proposal was sent on January 2005 to the Spanish Parliament to be debated and voted, being refused on February 1 by 313 votes against (PSOE
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
, PP
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
, IU
United Left (Spain)
The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain...
, Canary Coalition and CHA
Aragonese Council
The Chunta Aragonesista is a political party of Aragon , influenced by socialism, ecologism and pacifism. CHA defends a federal state, greater financial resources for Aragon, and the protection of the environment and hydrological resources of the Ebro Valley...
), 29 votes in favour (PNV, ERC
Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya
The Republican Left of Catalonia is a left wing Catalan independentist political party in Spain. It is also the main sponsor of the independence movement from France and Spain in the territories known among Catalan nationalists as Països Catalans...
, CiU, EA
Eusko Alkartasuna
Eusko Alkartasuna is a Basque nationalist political party operating in Spain and France. The Basque language name means Basque Solidarity and abbreviated as EA. The party describes itself as a Basque nationalist, democratic, popular, progressive and non-denominational party...
, Na-Bai
Nafarroa Bai
Nafarroa Bai is a Navarrese coalition of both left and right wing Basque nationalist parties which was created for the 2004 Spanish General election....
and BNG
Bloque Nacionalista Galego
The Galician Nationalist Bloc is a Galician nationalist coalition of political parties. It is self-defined as a "patriotic front".Formed in 1982, under the guidance of historical leader Xosé Manuel Beiras, the BNG advocates for further devolution of powers to the Parliament of Galicia and the...
) and 2 abstentions (IC-V).
Content
Under the plan, the two million people in this northern region would remain Spanish citizens but divided into two overlapping categories of Basques, defined as "citizens" and "nationals".The plan did not spell out the different rights of the two categories but it seemed possible that, for example, it might lead to Spaniards who move to the Basque country being barred from voting in some elections.
The already powerful Basque regional government would gain further powers, and the Basque court system would be largely separated from the Spanish one.
The plan would give the Basque regional government the right to call referendums, opening the door to a possible future vote on independence, while removing a Spanish government right to suspend the regional government's powers
Possible scenarios
The Spanish Government, led by the Spanish Socialist Workers' PartySpanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
premier José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
, and leading academics viewed the Ibarretxe Plan as contrary to the Spanish Constitution, this view being shared by the main opposition party Partido Popular
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
.
It has been argued that other states of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) would disagree with such a move, as many have separatist parties (such as in Corsica in France, Scotland and Northern Ireland in the UK, etc.) that would gain renewed strength in the light of a successful secession. Also, the European Parliament denied having anything to do with it, saying that it was a Spanish internal issue.
The Spanish reasoning is that that if the plan leads to a rupture between the Basque Country and the rest of Spain, the region would disassociate itself from Spain and the EU in such a way that the Basque Country would be able to re-enter the EU only after a complex negotiation process, in which any member state of the Union, including Spain, would have a veto right.
Subsequent proposals
Two years after the proposal was discarded, Ibarretxe proposed a similar initiative under a referendum-like voteBasque referendum, 2008
The proposed 2008 referendum was a poll intended to occur in the Basque Country in that year, but prevented by the Spanish government. The poll was to be a consultative referendum, in which two questions were put to the electorate, concerning self-determination from Spain...
.