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Basque Free Country
Euskaldunak, Pays-Libres des Basques, País-Libre Vasco, Euskaldunon Herri Askea
Timeline: 1983: Doomsday
Flag Coat of Arms
Flag Coat of Arms
Location of Euskadi
Basque Country in Red
Capital
(and largest city)
Vitoria-Gasteiz and Biarritz
Language
  official
 
Euskara
  others French, Spanish
Religion Catholicism
Government Parliamentary republic
Lehendakari Román Sudupe Olaizola
Area 21,440 km km²
Population 720,000 
Established 1983
Currency Basque Peseta

The Euskaldunon Herri Askea (French:Pays-Libres des Basques Spanish: País-Libre Vasco), commonly referred to by English as Euskadi or simply the Basque Country, is an independent Basque state in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast. It comprises much of the former Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Country and Navarre, along with the Northern Basque Country in France. Over the centuries, elements from both Spanish and French culture (including the respective languages) have been a major influence in the respective parts of the region's culture. The region is the homeland of the Basque people (Basque: Euskaldunak), their language (Basque: Euskara), culture, and traditions. It gained its independence shortly after Doomsday.

History[]

On September 26 a nuclear missile fell on Bilbao, devastating the province of Biscay and much of the former provinces of Cantabria, Alava and Guipuzcoa. Because of the mountainous topography of the territory the effects of the explosion were slightly attenuated (lessened, diminished). Because the autonomous Basque government had its headquarters in Vitoria-Gasteiz was saved from the explosion. And he could take control of the situation and with the power vacuum that followed Doomsday, the Euskadi Ta Askatasuna or ETA took over governing the region as the military arm of the established government under Carlos Garaikoetxea, the Lehendakari at the time.

But because of radioactive contamination, most of the Basque Country was uninhabitable, and forced the Basque Government to evacuate most of its citizens to Navarre and La Rioja.

Meanwhile, in Pamplona and Logroño, local emergency councils were formed, as the local governments were faced with an influx of Basque separatists. With the help of the emigrants the ETA took power by force and proclaimed the union of Navarre (now Nafarroa) and La Rioja (now Herri-Otxa) to Euskadi and drove the "Loyalists" to Tudela and Calahorra, where they reorganized new governments in exile. Pamplona, renamed Iruñea became for a few months new Capital of the Basque Government.

Independentzi Gerra[]

What the Basques call the Independence War (Independentzi Gerra) was a confusing series of wars fought on many fronts and against multiple opponents. These include the three merciless wars against the Iberian Confederation, known as "Vasconadas", fought in Navarre and La Rioja, the Wars of France, fought in the French Basque region, by contrast fairly bloodless and episodic. And the proper Independence War fought first against the Junta Suprema de Coordinación and then against the government Fascist-Phalangist of Burgos, also called "Guerra Larga".

The Iberian counteroffensive in 1985 forced a further move of the government, this time to Biarritz on the former French side of the Basque Country. In 1986 Basque militia regained Pamplona and Tafalla, the Basque government judged that the situation was too unstable to return to Pamplona and decided to stay in Biarritz.

From 1991 to 1997 the third war against the Iberian Confederacy, called commonly "Guerra del Chupinazo" in that Euskadi lost again Tafalla and the territories south of the river Ebro.

Politics[]

Ajuria enea

Ajuria Enea palace, residence of the Lehendakari (Basque prime minister). Vitoria-Gasteiz.

The Basque territory is administered by the Basque Parlaiment and the seven Diputaciones Forales or Foru Aldundiak (Deputation or Provincial councils), but coordinated and centralized by the Basque Government or Eusko Jaurlaritza. These are Gipuzkoa, Araba, Bizkaia, Nafarroa, Lapurdi, Baxenafarre and Zuberoa. Bizkaia (or Vizcaya) is present only nominally, because the province is empty of people for the devastation caused by the bomb exploded in Bilbao. Alava and Guipuzcoa also because of depopulation are subject to a Temporary Special Regime. While Navarre has its own laws based on customs and the Spanish civil code, the three French provinces have laws based on French civil code. La Rioja (Herri Otxa), during its occupation by the Basques did not form a diputación but was itself a kind of confederal territory.

Parlamento vasco 1

The Basque parliament building in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

The primitive Basque parliament or Eusko Legebiltzarra consisted in 75 members, 25 from each of the three provinces, acted after 1983 in roles as emergency Assembly. With the addition of Navarre, several members from that province was incorporated. In 1990 internal differences within the government of National Unity (formed by PNV, HB and other parties) forced the calling of elections, who won the Euskadiko Alderdi Sozialista or Basque Socialist Party. They promote a Constituent Assembly.

Culture[]

With the destruction of Bilbao, the basic education has been based on the ikastolas. Those schools, which are located on all Basque towns, are important to avoid a huge illiteracy, with classes on Basque and Spanish/French, for refugees. Along those schools, there´s the Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (EHU, the University of the Basque Country), that haves 3 Campus: Gipuzkoa Campus (in San Sebastián and Eibar), and Álava Campus in Vitoria-Gasteiz, and the Universidad de Navarra.

With the destruction of Cannes, the San Sebastián International Film Festival has emerged as a Western European alternative. Other festivals, such as the yearly Monaco ArtExpo and Corsican Fête de Film have also emerged in this department.

Military[]

The foundational core of the Basque Military, called Eusko Gudarostea was the previously Spanish Brigada de Infantería Ligera «San Marcial» V, mostly from the Regimiento de Cazadores de Montaña of the Tercio Viejo de Sicilia, some troops on the Acuartelamiento Loyola (in San Sebastián), the Regimiento de Infantería "América" n.º 66 (located on Aizoáin, Navarre), the Batallón de Infantería Ligera «Flandes» IV/45 (and with some tanks and vehicles) from the Base Militar de Araca in Vitoria, and former members of ETA which after September 1983 banded together with other volunteers of the Ertzainza (regional police) and the Guardia Civil to help refugees during the chaos after Doomsday,

On the former French Basque Country, the Iparretarrak (meaning "the Northerners" in Basque), commonly known as IK, a Basque nationalist paramilitary organization, joined the Eusko Gudarostea after the unification of the seven Basque provinces. Members of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques gendarmerie that didn't flee to Andorra, the Poitevine Republic or other former French territories joined the military, or found work as mercenaries in the region.

International Relations[]

The Basque Country, initially wary of a world order which retained elements of the offending powers of Doomsday, is now a full and a participating member of the League of Nations. Although it is not a member of the Atlantic Defense Community. In 2004 the government of Spains predecessor, Pais del Oro, officially recognized Galicia, Asturias and the Basque Country, after diplomatic pressure from Portugal, the SAC and the Celtic Alliance, but maintained their claims on the rest of the peninsula. Suprisingly, the Basque State and the Republic of Spain maintain a full diplomatic relations today, with embassies in Palma de Mallorca and Biarritz.

Land Dispute With the Poitevine Republic[]

Euskadi claims much of what in antiquity was known as Aquitania, with many Basque nationals having crops or herds of animals in pockets of the vast abandoned expanse of the southwest of France. However, this claim is disputed by La République Poitevine, who controls the territory north of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department. The République rules the territory both de facto and de jure, and claims of the Basques are viewed by other French survivor states as baseless.

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