ETA calls for Basques to abstain

ETA yesterday bombed PSOE's local offices in Derio, a village in the Basque Country, at night having warned of the attack beforehand.

Later on, in a note to Gara newspaper encouraged the Basque people to abstain in the March 9 election to delegitimise the Spanish state within Basque territory.

It seems to me that what ETA is really looking for is a PP victory in March 9. Elorriaga yesterday in the FT admitted that PP's electoral strategy is the promotion of abstention because it hurts PSOE (a participation below 70% will make the race too close to call). And now ETA seems to promote the same view within the Basque country, a more Socialist-leaning region.

The reason is that for those hardliners within ETA it's become a problem the good image the Zapatero government has in the Basque country. An inclusive Spanish central government means less support for ETA in his own turf. ETA hardliners would rather see the divisive discourse promoted by PP that will drive Basque moderate nationalists into more radical stances against an intransigent Spanish central government.

ETA's main weakness is the diminishing social support it enjoys in the Basque country. A return to a more centralist conservative government will get some of that support back to them. We should not let go on ETA, they are weaker than ever, a return to divisive politics under PP would mean a return to a stronger ETA at home in the Basque country.