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Collective rights of peoples, in Europe through the voice of pro-sovereignty and pro-independence parties (1)

DOSSIER. Ahead of the European parliamentary elections, Nationalia offers a summary of the main nationalist parties representing European stateless nations. Far from being a thorough account, the outlook just aims at listing some of the parties committed to turn Europe into a union of peoples and a space of diversity

Spain
Two candidatures are competing for the pro-sovereignty vote in the Catalan Countries, the Basque Country and Galicia. Firstly, Coalition for Europe, headed by the Catalan nationalist federation Convergència i Unió (CiU), and the Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ-PNV), which also includes the Bloc Nacionalista Valencià (Nationalist Bloc of the Valencian Country, BNV), Unió Mallorquina (Majorcan Union, UM), Coalición Canaria (Coalition of the Canary Islands, CC) and Partido Andalucista (Andalusist Party, PA). The list is led by Ramon Tremosa (CiU), followed by Izaskun Bilabo (PNV). According to opinion poll issued by the Spanish Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (Center for Sociological Research, CIS), Coalition for Europe could gain 2 seats, the same results Galeusca -the coalition's former name- obtained 5 years ago.

The other pro-sovereignty list in Spain is running elections with the name Europe of the Peoples-The Greens. The candidature is made up of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia, ERC), Bloque Nacionalista Galego (Galician Nationalist Bloc, BNG), Aralar (Basque leftists), Verds (Greens), Entesa per Mallorca (Agreement for Majorca), Eusko Alkartasuna (Basque social democrats, EA) and Chunta Aragonesista (Leftists from Aragon, CHA). The list is likely to obtain 1 seat, which would be held by Oriol Junqueras (ERC). According to CIS, Europe of the Peoples-The Greens could come close to obtain a second seat.

Last but not least, the pro-sovereignty bloc will have an unexpected runner. Banned by the Spanish Supreme Court last week for being "ETA-Batasuna's heirs", the list Iniciativa Internacionalista-Solidaritat entre Pobles (Internationalist Initiative-Solidarity among Peoples) will finally be allowed running for the European Parliament after the Constitutional Court accepted the appeal for legal protection lodged by list members. Iniciativa Internacionalista-Solidaritat entre Pobles is an anti-capitalist and leftist candidature defending the right to self-determination for the nations within Spain.

France
As regards the French State, most of the parties in favour of sovereignty run within the list called Europe Écologie, essentially an environmentalist-oriented coalition. However, it has gained the support of the Party of the Corsican Nation (PNC), Abertzaleen Batasuna (Basque nationalists, AB), Breton Democratic Union (UDB-BZH), the Occitan Party (PO), and Eusko Alkartasuna (EA).

Corsican candidate for A Manca Naziunale runs elections as number 3 of the New Anti-capitalist Party. Other parties have presented their own lists, as EAJ-PNB's branch in Northern Basque Country, and the Breton Party.

United Kingdom
Electoral performance of parties on the rise such as the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Welsh Plaid Cymru will have to be followed closely. Scottish nationalists currently hold 2 seats in the European Parliament, whilst the Welsh sent 1 MEP to Brussels in previous elections. Both parties hold 3 out of the 4 seats representing the European Free Alliance -the parliamentary group that brings together almost all pro-independence parties in Europe-, the fourth being shared by ERC and EA.

Sinn Féin, which has 2 seats in the EP, runs elections with its own list. Mebyon Kernow (MK), the Cornic party in favour of self-government for Cornwall is also running on its own, but there is little chance it may obtain a seat.