Leader of Basque PP resigns over controversy surrounding ETA proposal

ARANTZA QUIROGA, head of the ruling Popular Party in the Basque Country announced her resignation on Wednesday October 14. 

The announcement comes after Quiroga proposed a motion to the regional government that looked to open talks between all parties across the political spectrum with regard to the post-ETA peace process in the region.

The motion suggested that the separatist forces involved would no longer be made to condemn ETA directly before continuing with talks.

ETA stood down its armed activities in October 2011 and the talks taking place in the Basque country have been set up to find new peaceful ways of working together following the ETA announcement.

In an effort to find new ground in the stalled talks Quiroga proposed that separatist groups should not have to clearly condemn ETA. Popular Party leaders and associations connected with ETA victims took issue with the motion and this has led to Wednesday´s announcement.

On Thursday last Quiroga pulled the motion and hasn’t been present in politics until the announcement of her resignation.

She held the post for almost two-and-a-half years and the lawyer and mother of five apologised on Wednesday “to anyone who may have felt offended.” 

She sent a message to the victims in particular saying, “I never meant to hurt their feelings, all these years I have worked to be their voice.”