At a time when the political course is about to start, Permach just pointed out in a tweet “The crisis does not come, it causes the crisis.” And Arnaldo Otegi has allowed us to put this idea into a long article of opinion, remembering that those responsible for the fall crisis and those who want to prolong the war in Ukraine defend the same interests. In other words, through the "inevitable long war" those who drive the economic business (both energy and armaments) and geostrategic (the new order of the world) are the same. Macron, representing these elites, has just said that the era of unbridled prosperity that most of society has never known has ended. But what do you do? Ask questions about who, what, how and when,… in his txio Andoni Egia, emphasizing that “it is time to reach a consensus on answers and to define strategies to achieve them”.

And in order to respond adequately to these questions it has been very helpful to read carefully a long reflection published this summer by Jule Goikoetxea, which, as usual, has given us some clarifications. He said: “But what happens when you succeed in limiting rental or petrol prices? Hundreds of thousands of vests are thrown into the sea in the midst of the tsunami, knowing that another tsunami will come later. And we're here, attached to the inflatable vests… until another big wave swallows again. And yet can it be said, in all honesty, that it is better not to have the life jacket while we fall downstream of the Niagara? Surely not.” It is therefore clear that before we master the fever, what we have to try to cure is a disease that produces it. And what do you do then?

To answer this question, before the next crisis and the change in the political cycle, today we have to make a diagnosis of the real situation in our country. On the one hand, we must recognize that we are facing the acceleration of the national weakening, because there is no independence process of popular character in the Basque Country. And, on the other hand, we have to acknowledge that the social situation has worsened considerably, because we are able to give an articulated response as a people. Consequently, malaise is manifested within Basque society.

In Euskal Herria, basic social, civil and political rights, both personal and collective, as well as that of housing, information, the environment, freedom of expression… And, with this, precariousness has increased, feminized and rejuvenated. 520,000 people live below the poverty line, of which 200,000 are pensioners. According to gender, in the situation of poverty and in the position of social exclusion there is a clear difference between women (62%) and men (38%). One in three workers is in a situation of high job insecurity. Among young people (16-29 years), precariousness reaches 80%. The territorial imbalance is enormous. 70% of the population of the Basque Country live in five metropolitan areas and only 17% in rural areas. From the linguistic and cultural point of view, the situation has also deteriorated, cultural linguistic substitution has not been avoided, even if there are more literate Basque languages than ever.

This situation has led to the creation and enhancement of local responses throughout the Basque Country and in all areas. As Arantxa Tapia said a few months ago, in this country a popular platform is created before any topic or project. And all these platforms, although different, have a strong integrative characteristic: they are formed by irritating members of the sectors affected by the current neoliberal model. In a way, they are part of the large anti-capitalist area of the affected Basque Country. But that Basque anti-capitalist area is completely atomized.

For all these reasons, we are increasingly members of the whole of Euskal Herria, both of the Abertzale Left and of the social movements, who believe that we must turn this Basque anti-capitalist area into a Basque anti-capitalist movement. We are not talking about the creation of a new agent, but about the process of convergence and convergence of the people and agents who participate in this anti-capitalist space and the integrative dynamics. Because the Basque anti-capitalist movement is not of anyone, but of all of us who participate in the anti-capitalist area.

In this regard, there have been many meetings, meetings and proposals that have been made in recent times to maintain this path. Some have been presented at the last Congresses of the different institutions of the Left Abertzale, others at the popular assemblies, in collective reflections, in the camps or in joint initiatives… And in all of them the need and desire for a common anti-capitalist agenda has been manifested time and time again.

Next year, a new electoral cycle will be launched in Euskal Herria, which will last for about three years with the municipal elections. This situation does not help to strengthen cooperation, convergence and fluidity, but we cannot wait another three years. We must take advantage of the situation that will result from the crisis that will be remembered from the autumn to turn this Basque anti-capitalist area into a Basque anti-capitalist movement, putting together a common agenda for this. Let us not forget that, as in Euskal Herria, in the European Union and in the world, the anti-capitalist dynamic will be strengthened in the coming years, despite the different local character.

We're not going to separate life jackets, we want to radically transform the capitalist system that the tsunami generates. Our goal is socialism. It is revolutionary processes that we must set in motion everywhere, putting civil disobedience, resistance, lack of collaboration and direct action at the service of the construction of popular power. As Manex Mantxola said in his article “Energy and Power”, “we have to think without drama how much is enough. But systemic changes are not peaceful, they have a conflict of their own. And for it to be for everyone, we'll need power." The road is confrontation and we want to set in motion for confrontation the Basque anti-capitalist movement, because we want to live free in the free Basque Country.

Joseba Alvarez

Left Member Abertzale