''Abertzale'' (; English: "patriot", literally "fond of the fatherland") is a

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous c ...

term usually referring to people or political groups who are associated with

Basque nationalism Basque nationalism ( eu, eusko abertzaletasuna ; es, nacionalismo vasco; french: nationalisme basque) is a form of nationalism that asserts that Basques, an ethnic group indigenous to the western Pyrenees, are a nation and promotes the pol ...

. Although the term is synonym of "patriot", its common use in Basque mainly refers to

, whereas in the

Spanish language Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a world language, global language with more than 500 millio ...

''abertzale'' (also spelled ''aberzale'') means "Basque nationalist". The use of the term by members and sympathizers of

Herri Batasuna Herri Batasuna (; en, Popular Unity; HB) was a far-left Basque nationalist coalition in Spain. It was founded in 1978 and defined itself as abertzale, left-wing, socialist, and supported the independence of the Greater Basque Country. It was ...

, and the fact that the followers of the

Basque Nationalist Party The Basque Nationalist Party (, EAJ ; es, Partido Nacionalista Vasco, PNV; french: Parti Nationaliste Basque, PNB; EAJ-PNV), officially Basque National Party in English,) was rejected by party members in November 2011. Nonetheless, the party did ...

(''Partido Nacionalista Vasco'', PNV) call themselves '' jeltzales'' more than ''abertzales'', has brought about a situation where in the Spanish language the word is at times associated with that particular

leftist Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soc ...

current of Basque nationalism. Several organizations past and present have used this word in their official Basque-language names: * Abertzaleen Batasuna (''Unity of the Abertzales''): A political party in the French Basque Country. *Emakume Abertzale Batza (''Women's Abertzale Organization''), onetime women's section of the PNV, made illegal by the rebel junta in

Burgos Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Burgos. Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence o ...

during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...

. *Euskal Abertzaletasunaren Museoa (''Museum of Basque Nationalism''). *The name Eusko Abertzaleak (''Basque Patriots'') is used by various parliamentary and town council groups of the

. In fact,

Eusko Alkartasuna Eusko Alkartasuna (; en, Basque Solidarity; es, Solidaridad Vasca; french: Solidarité basque) is a Basque nationalist and social-democratic political party operating in Spain and France. The Basque language name means ''Basque Solidarity'' a ...

was meant to be founded under the name ''Eusko Abertzaleak'', but the Basque Nationalist Party registered this name first.{{cite news, last=Murua Uria , first=Imanol , title=Hura bai haustura , url=http://paperekoa.berria.info/harian/2006-09-02/002/772/lege_info.htm , accessdate=2010-07-08 , newspaper=Berria , date=2006-09-02 , url-status=dead , archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716234406/http://paperekoa.berria.info/harian/2006-09-02/002/772/lege_info.htm , archivedate=2011-07-16 * Eusko Abertzale Ekintza (''Basque Nationalist Action''), a Basque nationalist and leftist party. * Ezker Mugimendu Abertzalea (''Leftist Abertzale Movement''): A political party in the French Basque Country. *

Gazte Abertzaleak Young Patriots (in Basque: ''Gazte Abertzaleak (GA)'') is since 1988 the youth wing of the Basque political party Eusko Alkartasuna (EA). Gazte Abertzaleak is a founding member of the EFAY (Youth branch of the European Free Alliance). Gazt ...

(''Abertzale Youths''): the youth group of the Spanish Basque political party

, left of the PNV but not aligned with ETA or Batasuna. * Koordinadora Abertzale Sozialista (''Abertzale Socialist Coordinating Council'', KAS). *The names Ezker Abertzalea (''Izquierda Abertzale'' or "Abertzale Left"), Nafarroako Sozialista Abertzaleak (''Abertzale Socialist of

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

'') and Araba, Bizkai eta Gipuzkoako Sozialista Abertzaleak (''Abertzale Socialists of

Álava Álava ( in Spanish) or Araba (), officially Araba/Álava, is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Álava, former medieval Catholic bishopric and now Latin titular see. Its c ...

Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. ...

, and

Gipuzkoa Gipuzkoa (, , ; es, Guipúzcoa ; french: Guipuscoa) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French de ...

'') have been used by various parliamentary groups of

and

Euskal Herritarrok Euskal Herritarrok ( en, Basque Citizens, EH) was a Basque independentist and socialist political party in the Basque Country. EH was banned in 2003 by the Supreme Court of Spain on the grounds that it sympathized with ETA. History In February 2 ...

in different parliaments. The term '' ezker abertzalea'' (abertzale left) is used to refer to parties or organisations which are Basque nationalist, but at the same time, left-wing. This may be marxist, communist, socialist or social-democratic. The term is used to distinguish these organisations from the usual traditionalist or conservative character of the

References

* This article draws on the equivalent article in the Spanish-language Wikipedia, accessed December 6, 2004.

External links

Abertzale news and opinion website
Basque politics National liberation movements Rebellions in Spain