Political party banned
The week's news at a glance.
Madrid
Spain’s Supreme Court this week banned Batasuna, a militant political party that advocates independence for the Basque region in the north. It is the first time since 1975, when dictator Franco died and democracy returned to the country, that a party has been outlawed. Batasuna is widely believed to be the political wing of ETA, a Basque terrorist group responsible for hundreds of bombings and killings for more than 30 years. The verdict means that candidates for local office can no longer run as Batasuna members, but those already holding posts can serve out their terms. Moderate Basque parties that eschew violence said that while they did not agree with Batasuna, they didn’t want to see it banned. Provincial Justice Minister Joseba Azkarraga called the ruling “an unprecedented setback for democracy.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Home Depots are the new epicenters of ICE raids
In the Spotlight The chain has not provided many comments on the ongoing raids
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?
Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classrooms
Pros and cons The devices could be major distractions