Institutional plurality: A way out of the Basque conflict?

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyse the possibilities for a peaceful solution to the 'Basque question'. In particular, we will explore whether the concept of institutional plurality might be a suitable framework within which to identify a political solution to one of the most enduring and violent nationalistic conflicts in Western Europe. Institutional plurality is described in a previous article (Van Amersfoort 1995). Basically institutional plurality can be found in two forms in modern democracies, a territorial one and a non-territorial parallel organisation of basic institutions. Switzerland and the Netherlands are the classical examples of states in Western Europe with a high degree of institutional plurality; Switzerland in a territorial form, the Netherlands in a non-territorially defined form. Even a first general analysis of Basque nationalism makes clear that the Basque problem is very complicated. A territorial form of pluralism is (just as complete separatism) hampered by the geographical distribution of the Basque and non-Basque segments of the population and by the involvement of two states. The only chance of finding a solution would appear to be a combination of territorial and non-territorial forms of institutional plurality. However such a solution will not necessarily be acceptable to all parties concerned.