Spain’s High Court says Basque consultation law unconstitutional

amplify image

Photo: EFE

Spain’s Constitutional Court, the highest in the country, said on Thursday a Consultation Law approved by the Basque Government earlier this year is unconstitutional and suspended a referendum which Basque authorities wanted to hold Oct. 25.

The popular consultation planned to put two questions to a vote. The first asked Basques if they favor a negotiated solution to the conflict if the armed Basque group ETA was willing to end violence.

The second asked if they agreed that all Basque political parties should work toward an agreement on what it calls Basques' right to decide their future and that this should be put to a referendum before the end of 2010.

The Basque PM, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, first floated the idea late last year as part of a "road map" peace plan following the collapse of negotiations between the Spanish government and ETA.

The Basque parliament approved plans for the nonbinding consultation earlier this year but it was seen as a veiled push for breaking away from Spain, setting up a collision course with the central government.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government said the planned consultation was unconstitutional because only Spain's government, not a regional administration, can authorize such a vote.

Spain's government immediately vowed to block the consultation, saying it was unconstitutional and filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court.