Aralar Party

Aralar Party
	Aralar Party
Leader	Patxi Zabaleta
Founded	2000
Headquarters	Rincón de la Aduana 16-18, 31001, Pamplona, Navarre
Youth wing	Iratzarri
Ideology	Socialism,; Basque nationalism,; Left-wing nationalism
International affiliation	None
European affiliation	None
European Parliament Group	None
Official colors	Red, White
Website
	http://www.aralar.net/

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Aralar is a Basque socialist and separatist political party in Spain. The party is led by Patxi Zabaleta. It is opposed to the violent struggle of ETA.

Aralar was born in the 1990s from a critical tendency within Herri Batasuna (HB) and Euskal Herritarrok (EH), led by Patxi Zabaleta. The tendency had its main base in Navarre.

The breaking of ETA's truce in 2000 provoked Herri Batasuna's reformation into Batasuna, to have presence in all Euskal Herria. Following disagreements over the internal organization of Batasuna, Aralar broke away to form a separate political party.

In the May 2003 election for the Navarre Assembly, Aralar obtained 24,068 votes (8.02% of the valid votes) and four seats and in the same community obtained 4.76% of the valid votes in the municipal elections and 18 local councillors. In the Basque Autonomous Community it obtained 30 councillors and 1.51 % of the valid votes.

Aralar contested the Spanish general election, 2004 in coalition with Zutik but failed to win any seats, polling 3.09% of the valid votes. The party contested Navarre as part of the coalition Nafarroa Bai (NaBai), together with Eusko Alkartasuna (EA), Batzarre, the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and independents, obtaining a seat for the independent Uxue Barkos and 18.04 % of the whole of valid votes, which was the highest percentage and number of votes for a Basque list in Spanish General Elections in Navarre.

In 2004 the youth wing of Aralar, Iratzarri, was founded.

In the Basque elections of April 17, 2005, Aralar entered the Basque Parliament with one seat and 2.33% of the votes. This seat is held by Aintzane Ezenarro.

In 2007 Aralar won 4 local Assembly seats and 56 local council seats in Euskadi and 5 local Assembly seats and 30 council seats in Navarre.

Aralar contested the 2008 General Elections in the Basque Autnomous Community polling 2.67% of the total votes, 0.42% less than Aralar-Zutik coalition's result four years ago. In Navarre the party joined the Nafarroa Bai coalition, which obtained the 18.53% (+0.55) and one seat, still held by Barkos. [1] [2]

In the Basque elections of March 1, 2009, Aralar increased its presence in the Basque Parliament with four seats and 6.04% of votes. The head of tha parlamentary group is still Aintzane Ezenarro.