Bildu urges nationalists to unite as Basque bloc
The Basque coalition Bildu — chiefly controlled by radicals who formerly embraced Batasuna, ETA's political wing — have suggested to the more moderate Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and Aralar that they should unite in a single pro-independence force to run in the November general elections.
The idea, borrowed from the outlawed Batasuna, is to create a bloc in Congress that would demand "the recognition of Euskal Herria [the Basque Country] as a nation" and "its right to decide its own political, economic and social future."
The offer was turned down the same day by PNV president Iñigo Urkullu, while Aralar said it would consider the proposal.
Bildu was a strongly voted force in recent Basque elections after the Supreme Court narrowly decided it was eligible to run.
