Galician Nationalist Bloc: Difference between revisions
mNo edit summary |
mNo edit summary |
||
Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
|european = [[European Free Alliance]] |
|european = [[European Free Alliance]] |
||
|europarl = [[The Greens–European Free Alliance]] |
|europarl = [[The Greens–European Free Alliance]] |
||
|student_wing = [[Galician Student League]] and [[Comités]] |
|||
|affiliation1_title = |
|affiliation1_title = Trade union affiliation |
||
|affiliation1 = |
|||
|affiliation1 = [[Confederación Intersindical Galega]] (CIG) |
|||
|colors = Red, white, blue |
|colors = Red, white, blue |
||
|seats1_title = [[Galicia (Spain)#Municipal_governments|Local Government]] |
|seats1_title = [[Galicia (Spain)#Municipal_governments|Local Government]] |
||
Line 48: | Line 49: | ||
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 official and unambiguous<ref>In reference to the fact that the [[Statute of Autonomy of Galicia of 1981]] states that Galicia is a "[[historical nationality]]", but not simply a [[nation]]</ref> recognition of [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]] as a [[nation]]. The BNG also promotes [[affirmative action]] for the [[Galician language]]. The current leader - president of the National Council and national spokesperson - is [[Guillerme Vázquez]]. |
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 official and unambiguous<ref>In reference to the fact that the [[Statute of Autonomy of Galicia of 1981]] states that Galicia is a "[[historical nationality]]", but not simply a [[nation]]</ref> recognition of [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]] as a [[nation]]. The BNG also promotes [[affirmative action]] for the [[Galician language]]. The current leader - president of the National Council and national spokesperson - is [[Guillerme Vázquez]]. |
||
The BNG has strong ties with the [[Confederación Intersindical Galega]] (Galician InterTrade Union Confederation, CIG), the biggest galician union, with the student unions [[Galician Student League]] and [[Comités]]<ref>http://www.comitesabertos.org/os-comites-na-xiii-asemblea-nacional-do-bng/</ref>, the agrarian |
The BNG has strong ties with the [[Confederación Intersindical Galega]] (Galician InterTrade Union Confederation, CIG), the biggest galician union, with the student unions [[Galician Student League]] and [[Comités]]<ref>http://www.comitesabertos.org/os-comites-na-xiii-asemblea-nacional-do-bng/</ref>, the agrarian unions [[Sindicato Labrego Galego]] (Galician Peasant Union, SLG) and FRUGA and with [[Environmentalism|environmentalist]] and [[Galician language]] defender organizations. |
||
From 2005 to 2009, BNG was one of the two [[coalition government|partners]] in the [[Xunta de Galicia|Galician government]], where [[Anxo Quintana]] was the [http://vicepresidencia.xunta.es/index.php vice-president] of [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]]. |
From 2005 to 2009, BNG was one of the two [[coalition government|partners]] in the [[Xunta de Galicia|Galician government]], where [[Anxo Quintana]] was the [http://vicepresidencia.xunta.es/index.php vice-president] of [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]]. |
Revision as of 21:46, 16 February 2013
Galician Nationalist Bloc Bloque Nacionalista Galego | |
---|---|
File:BNG logo.gif | |
Spokesperson | Guillerme Vázquez |
Founded | 1982 |
Headquarters | Avda. Rodríguez de Viguri, 16 Baixo 15703 - Santiago de Compostela |
Student wing | Galician Student League and Comités |
Youth wing | Galiza Nova |
Ideology | Galician nationalism Social democracy Communism Galician Independentism[1][2][3] Left-wing nationalism Federalism Republicanism Anti-imperialism[4][5] Feminism[6][7] Environmentalism |
Political position | Left-wing |
European affiliation | European Free Alliance |
European Parliament group | The Greens–European Free Alliance |
Trade union affiliation | Confederación Intersindical Galega (CIG) |
Colors | Red, white, blue |
Local Government | 590 / 3,811
|
Mayors | 28 / 315
|
Galician Parliament | 7 / 75
|
Congress of Deputies | 2 / 350
|
European Parliament | 1 / 54
|
Website | |
www | |
The Galician Nationalist Bloc (Galician: Bloque Nacionalista Galego) 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 official and unambiguous[8] recognition of Galicia as a nation. The BNG also promotes affirmative action for the Galician language. The current leader - president of the National Council and national spokesperson - is Guillerme Vázquez.
The BNG has strong ties with the Confederación Intersindical Galega (Galician InterTrade Union Confederation, CIG), the biggest galician union, with the student unions Galician Student League and Comités[9], the agrarian unions Sindicato Labrego Galego (Galician Peasant Union, SLG) and FRUGA and with environmentalist and Galician language defender organizations.
From 2005 to 2009, BNG was one of the two partners in the Galician government, where Anxo Quintana was the vice-president of Galicia.
Ideology
The BNG is composed by a majority of grassroots independent members and a number of political parties. Traditionally, the largest party and main ideological influence has been the Unión do Povo Galego (UPG) (Galician People's Union). In origin, the UPG, and consequently the BNG, were strongly left-winged, and even supported the idea of Galician independence. Yet, from 1990 BNG has gradually abandoned the secessionist discourse and claims for self-determination are rarely produced, especially since the moderate nationalist party Unidade Galega (Galician Unity) joined the coalition. According to its former leader, Anxo Quintana, BNG is not an independentist party,[10] yet some individuals and organizations within it may express a sympathy for the idea.,[11][12] in fact the hegemonic party (UPG) supports independence since 2011[13][14]. Since the National Assembly of Amio (2012) the whole front has adopted the idea of independence and the creation of a Galician republic[15][16]. The same year the Bloc adopted a critical position against the European Union[17].
Generally speaking, the BNG can be considered a nationalist, mildly pro-independence, left-wing and pro-European party.
2012 Split
In 2012 several parties and individuals abandoned the front dissatisfied with its political line and the control of the UPG[18][19]. Encontro Irmandiño[20] abandoned the bloc and formed along with Fronte Obreira Galega, the FPG, Movemento pola Base and other collectives Anova-Nationalist Brotherhood[21]. Anova obtained 4 seats in the 2012 Galician election within the coalition AGE. Anova is an independentist[22][23], anticapitalist[24], anti-globalization, republican and anti-imperialist organization[25]. Other groups that splited were the more moderate social-democratic and autonomist Máis Galiza, Esquerda Nacionalista and PNG-PG. They formed Compromiso x Galicia. Compromiso x Galicia is a social-democratic and autonomist organization[26]. CxG didn't obtained deputies in the 2012 Galician election.
Electoral evolution
BNG began its electoral history in a quite modest way. However, it quickly progressed from a single seat in the Galician Parliament to its best results in 1997 when, under the leadership of Xosé Manuel Beiras, achieved almost 25 per cent of the total vote and 18 seats (out of 75) at the Parliament.
After the 2001 Galician elections the BNG still was the second largest political group in the Galician Parliament with 17 seats, slightly ahead of the Socialist Party of Galicia (PSdG) in total votes. Yet, it was in 2005 when BNG could force a coalition government despite losing four seats and slipping to the third place. Anxo Quintana became then the vice-president of Galicia[27] and BNG could directly appoint a number of conselleiros (ministers) for some departments of the government. Prior to that, the other major Galician party, the conservative People's Party (PPdeG), had remained in control of the overall majority and therefore of the Galician government. In the 2009 elections, a sharp reduction in votes for the PSdG, together with bad results for the BNG (12 seats), forced the left-wing coalition out of government, being replaced by the PPdeG.[28]
BNG won 208,688 votes (11.37 per cent of the Galician vote, 0.8 of the Spanish total) in the 2004 Spanish general election, gaining two of the 350 seats in the Spanish Parliament. Results in the 2008 Spanish general election were slightly improved (+0.7 in Galicia), although resulting in the same number of seats. Results in local elections have traditionally been good, with a constant increase on the number of seats achieved, allowing BNG to govern or to, at least, take part in the government coalitions of most Galician large urban centres.
BNG lost its single Member of the European Parliament, Camilo Nogueira, in the 2004 European Parliament election. However, BNG's interests are still represented thanks to an alliance established with the Basque Nationalist Party and the Catalan Convergence and Union. BNG maintains regular contact with its European group, the European Greens–European Free Alliance, through a permanent representative in the chamber.
The party also has a designated seat at the Spanish Senate, out of the three allowed for Galician representatives.
Elections to the Galician Parliament
Year | Votes (in thousands) | Percentage | Deputies |
1985 | 52 | - | 1 |
1989 | 105 | 8 | 5 |
1993 | 269 | 18.3 | 13 |
1997 | 395 | 24.8 | 18 |
2001 | 346 | 22.4 | 17 |
2005 | 311 | 18.8 | 13 |
2009 | 268 | 17 | 12 |
2012 | 145 | 10 | 7 |
Elections to the Spanish Parliament
Year | Votes (in thousands) | Percentage | Deputies |
1986 | 27 | 2.11 | 0 |
1989 | 47 | 3.59 | 0 |
1993 | 126 | 8.01 | 0 |
1996 | 220 | 12.85 | 2 |
2000 | 306 | 18.62 | 3 |
2004 | 208 | 11.37 | 2 |
2008 | 212 | 12.07 | 2 |
2011 | 183 | 11.25 | 2 |
Elections to the European Parliament
Year | Votes (in thousands) | Percentage | Deputies |
1987 | 45 | 3.7 | 0 |
1989 | 38 | 4.17 | 0 |
1994 | 32 | 11.4 | 0 |
1999 | 335 | 21.98 | 1 |
2004 (*) | 141 | 12.32 | 2 |
2009 (*) | 102 | 9.40 | 1 |
- The 2004 candidature was a joint candidature with Catalan and Basque parties, hence the disparity between number of votes and number of seats achieved. Those 2 MEP, were members of the Basque Nationalist Party and of Convergencia i Unió (Catalan nationalist). Neither of them are members of the BNG.
- The 2009 candidature was a joint candidature with ERC, Aralar and other parties. The oly MEP is rotative.
Local elections
Year | Votes (in thousands) | Percentage | Councillors |
1983 | 49 | - | 0 |
1987 | 61 | 4.53 | 139 |
1991 | 107 | 7.71 | 241 |
1995 | 208 | 13.15 | 428 |
1999 | 290 | 18.54 | 586 |
2003 | 325 | 19.41 | 595 |
2007 | 315 | 19.15 | 661 |
2011 | 262 | 16.52 | 590 |
Internal organization
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/CongresoBNG2006.jpg/200px-CongresoBNG2006.jpg)
BNG regulates itself by local, regional and national assemblies, where members can vote and be voted to become regional delegates and thereafter members of the National Council. However, the internal functioning of the party has come into criticism in recent years. As a reaction to that two new organizations claiming for "transparency and internal democracy" have formed within the BNG. Namely these are: Encontro Irmandinho (led by former BNG president Xosé Manuel Beiras), Movemento Pola Base (formed by grassroots members and backed by the youth section Galiza Nova), and A Alternativa (supported by former MEP Camilo Nogueira). Furthermore, Anxo Quintana's leadership has been questioned after the bad results following the Galician 2009 elections.
Joint affiliation with other political groups outside the BNG is not allowed. The political groups currently recognised by the BNG (via a lengthy ratification process) are:
- Galician People's Union (Unión do Povo Galego, UPG) - Communist, Marxism-Leninism, Galician Independentism
- Abrente - Galician Democratic Left (Abrente - Esquerda Democrática Galega, Abrente) - Social Democratic[29][30]
- Galician Movement for Socialism (Movemento Galego ao Socialismo, MGS)- Communist, Galician Independentism, Revolutionary socialism[31]
![]() |
---|
Notes
- ^ http://www.bng-galiza.org/wp-content/uploads/Documentos-XIII-AN-BNG.pdf%7C A soberanía debe concretarse, a través do exercicio de autodeterminación, nun Estado galego democrático, laico e republicano: a República da Galiza.
- ^ http://praza.com/politica/2004/o-bng-chama-a-avanzar-na-soberania-nacional-algo-que-so-pode-facer-unha-forza-sen-tutelas-alleas/
- ^ http://elpais.com/diario/2011/12/17/galicia/1324120695_850215.html
- ^ http://www.bng-galiza.org/principios-do-bng/ Solidarity, anti-imperialism, peace and international disarmament
- ^ http://www.bng-galiza.org/wp-content/uploads/Documentos-XIII-AN-BNG.pdf
- ^ http://www.bng-galiza.org/wp-content/uploads/Documentos-XIII-AN-BNG.pdf%7C O nacionalismo galego, implicado na tarefa de construír un mundo máis xusto, leva anos a defender a loita feminista e o remate das situacións de desigualdade entre homes e mulleres. O combate contra a subordinación social e económica das mulleres é, pois, unha liña de actuación prioritaria para a militancia nacionalista, pois nesta etapa concreta do capitalismo precisamos asegurar as conquistas realizadas tras duros esforzos e continuar a dar pasos para acadarmos unha sociedade máis xusta e máis libre, que aposte pola transversalidade das políticas de xénero e promova en todas as súas actuacións medidas específicas que teñan en conta a discriminación das mulleres.
- ^ http://www.bng-galiza.org/accion-feminista/
- ^ In reference to the fact that the Statute of Autonomy of Galicia of 1981 states that Galicia is a "historical nationality", but not simply a nation
- ^ http://www.comitesabertos.org/os-comites-na-xiii-asemblea-nacional-do-bng/
- ^ Press release, commenting on Quintana's rejection of the secessionist option
- ^ http://www.iscagz.org/fortalecer-o-bng-desde-o-soberanismo-e-a-esquerda/
- ^ Picture: members of Movemento pola Base displaying a banner with the motto "Independence and Socialism"
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.uniondopovogalego.org/?p=1214%7C Point 3: National sovereignty
- ^ http://www.elpais.com/articulo/Galicia/BNG/Republica/Galiza/avanzar/autogobierno/elpepuespgal/20111217elpgal_8/Tes
- ^ http://www.bng-galiza.org/wp-content/uploads/Documentos-XIII-AN-BNG.pdf%7C Sovereignty should materialize through the exercise of self-determination, to create a galician democratic, secular and republican state: the Republic of Galiza
- ^ http://www.bng-galiza.org/wp-content/uploads/Documentos-XIII-AN-BNG.pdf%7C Point 1
- ^ http://www.galiciaconfidencial.com/nova/9573.html
- ^ http://praza.com/politica/130/noriega-son-pesimista-da-razon-e-optimista-da-vontade/
- ^ http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/1306522/0/
- ^ http://galiciaconfidencial.com/nova/10976.html
- ^ http://praza.com/politica/1560/beiras-lanza-anova-a-procura-de-alianzas-e-da-independencia/
- ^ http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2012/07/14/galicia/1342298880_547208.html
- ^ http://www.galiciaconfidencial.com/nova/13013.html
- ^ http://anova-galiza.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=58
- ^ http://compromisoxgalicia.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/documento-POL%C3%8DTICO-IDEOL%C3%93XICO-e-ESTRAT%C3%89XICO.pdf
- ^ Official site of the Office of the Vice President of Galicia
- ^ Results of the 2009 Galician elections
- ^ http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/1505467/0/
- ^ http://praza.com/xornal/uploads/arquivos/arquivo/4fc72bad289da-manifestoabrente.pdf
- ^ http://mgs-galiza.org/?page_id=2%7C Galician Movement for Socialism: Principles and goals
References
- Barreiro, H. et al. (2002): "A Galicia política e o nacionalismo do BNG", in Tempos Novos, no. 59, p. 24-33
- Beramendi, J.G. (2003): "Fin de ciclo no BNG? : Beiras desafía a hexemonía da UPG", in Tempos novos, p. 48-50
- BNG (2004): Documento de bases para a elaboración dun novo Estatuto para Galiza
- Fernández Baz, M.A. (2003): A formación do nacionalismo galego contemporáneo (1963-1984), Laiovento
- Rodríguez, F. (1999): "Fundación da UPG na frente nacionalista BNG", in Terra e tempo, no. 12, p. 43-45
External links
- BNG website
- UPG website
- Galiza Nova, youth section of the BNG]
- Movemento Galego ao Socialismo
- Isca! website (youth of the MGS)
- "Quin TV", multimedia portal of BNG's ex-president Anxo Quintana
- "TeleBNG", BNG's channel in YouTube