Herritarren Zerrenda
Encyclopedia
The Herritarren Zerrenda (HZ, List of Fellow Citizens; ) is a Basque nationalist
political party
in Spain
and France
, created in 2004 to run in the European Parliament election
. Since these elections were simultaneous throughout the European Union
, and states were represented as single constituencies, Herritarren Zerrenda aspired for results at the national level in both countries.
HZ aspired to group and represent the Abertzale
Left, including the outlawed Batasuna
(as Autodeterminaziorako Bilgunea had done a year before). In France they ran on a single list with Batasuna (as the party is not illegal north of the border) - a fact which did not constitute a violation of the Spanish laws.
In Spain, HZ counted on obtaining seats in Strasbourg
(as Batasuna and its coalition Euskal Herritarrok had previously done). The possibility was slimmer in France, due to the small percentage of Basques
of Iparralde
in the country as a whole, as well as to the reduced support for Batasuna.
In the end, HZ called for a blank vote, and its voters cast ballots valid only in the French constituency. The group dissolved after the elections.
Basque nationalism
Basque nationalism is a political movement advocating for either further political autonomy or, chiefly, full independence of the Basque Country in the wider sense...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, created in 2004 to run in the European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
. Since these elections were simultaneous throughout 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...
, and states were represented as single constituencies, Herritarren Zerrenda aspired for results at the national level in both countries.
HZ aspired to group and represent the Abertzale
Abertzale
Abertzale in the Basque language means "patriot", and it is mainly used to mean "Basque nationalist". It comes from the fusion of aberri with the suffix -zale .Although the term is synonym of "patriot", its common use...
Left, including the outlawed Batasuna
Batasuna
Batasuna was a Basque nationalist political party based mainly in Spain, where it was outlawed in 2003, after a court ruling declared proven that the party was financing ETA with public money. Batasuna is included in the "European Union list of terrorist persons and organizations" as a component...
(as Autodeterminaziorako Bilgunea had done a year before). In France they ran on a single list with Batasuna (as the party is not illegal north of the border) - a fact which did not constitute a violation of the Spanish laws.
In Spain, HZ counted on obtaining seats in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
(as Batasuna and its coalition Euskal Herritarrok had previously done). The possibility was slimmer in France, due to the small percentage of Basques
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
of Iparralde
Northern Basque Country
The French Basque Country or Northern Basque Country situated within the western part of the French department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques constitutes the north-eastern part of the Basque Country....
in the country as a whole, as well as to the reduced support for Batasuna.
In the end, HZ called for a blank vote, and its voters cast ballots valid only in the French constituency. The group dissolved after the elections.