Why does Basque want independence from Spain?

Question

Is it due to cultural differences, political differences...?

Answer 1

It's basically due to political differences. They were a country back on the second half of the IX century and the X century though it was called "Reino de Navarra" which included the actual Navarra,  Atlantic Pirineos, La Rioja and the Basque Country. After the death of Sancho III El Mayor internal fights with their sons bring the Reino de Navarra to an extinction and some territoires are given to the Castillian government but with still some power which lasted until the XIX century.

As per the population 43% of the Basques consider themselves "nationalist" (reports from the 2006). But the percentage of the ones who want independence is not that high, there's a difference between being nationalist and wanting independence I think...

So it's a mixture of cultural differences but most of all political, no country wants to be separated only because they speak another language...same as Catalans, it's not only because we speak Catalan.

Answer 2

It's similar to Catalunya, which also wants independence. The basque people speak a different language and have a different culture from "Spanish" culture (it's hard to lump it together since each region is so different). They don't feel like they are a part of the country, basically, and they do feel that they should have a separate country for themselves.

Answer 3

wow, I've read some opinions that can't be more far from reality...

First of all, Spain, as everybody knows was formed by 5 ancient kingdoms, they are Castilla, Leon, Navarra, Aragon and Granada. Never has existed the kingdoms of Catalonia or Basque (Catalonia was part of Aragon, and Basque was part of Navarra).

Saying that Euskadi (which is the name of Basque in their language) has a different culture from the rest of Spain, is like say that Texas has different culture from USA, of course, Spain is formed by 17 regions, and everyone of them have different culture, and at least 5 of them have different co-official languages, I live in a region where 3 languages are spoken (Castilian Spanish, Fabla and Chapurriao).

But you must know that less than 50 percent of people from Euskadi speak Euskera (their co-official language) and not everybody wants to be independent, that's why they don't do a referendum to ask for it officially to our government.

Why they want independence? I don't know, during centuries they've been defendants of Spain unity, I think that during Franco's Dictatorship, they were so persecuted to avoid the language and some festivities (the same as the rest of the country), that they changed their mind...

Answer 4

pretty much the same reasons as Sri Lanka & Taiwan. they think they can be better rulers than those in power now.

Answer 5

The Basques have a completely different language and a very different culture from the rest of Spain. The people identify more with those around them then they do with Spain. For example, if you were to ask me where I was from, I would answer Philadelphia and the United States; they would say they are Basque and then they would tell you it is a province in Spain.

During the Franco years, a dictator who admired Hitler and allowed Hitler to test some of his new weapons on one of his towns, imprisoned Basques who spoke their language and followed traditions that were very different from those of the rest of the country. (My husband's grandfather fled to Puerto Rico during this time. He was a Basque.) They were treated very harshly by Franco's regime until he died in the early 70s. I can imagine that they do not want to go through what they went through during that time and they could guarantee that if they were separate from Spain and had their own country.

Answer 6

mmmm aside from what other people say when i lived in Spain the press released statistics showing that the majority of the people in the basque (pais vasco) doesn't want independence only a small minority,,,,, yes they have a different language and a diferent cultural but that isn't a excuse keeping i mind that spain has 4 official languages (spanish, catalan, gallego, and vasco) and diferent parts of spain has diferent cultures,,,, for example in adulucia they have flamenco and i galicia they have a celtic culture (bagpipes and regional dances).....what most americans consider spanish culture like toros and flamenco is only the culture of andulucia........so yes there are political and cultural diferences in every province of spain not only the basque country, but the estatistics don't lie its only a small amount of people that want independence.....right now i don't remember but it was inbetween a 15 or 20% (this was over a year ago sorry but the exact number i don't remember)