Minoría Vasco-Navarra () was a right-wing parliamentary grouping in the Spanish Cortes during the term of 1931–1933. It was composed of 15 deputies and had no tangible impact on politics of the Republic. However, it matters in history of Basque nationalism and Carlism.

History

The minority originated as an electoral alliance of 2 parties: Basque nationalists from Partido Nacionalista Vasco and Carlists from Comunión Tradicionalista, plus some independent candidates not associated with any organisation. During the electoral campaign of June 1931 the alliance fielded its candidates in 4 out of 50 provinces: Álava, Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Navarra; in Biscay and Gipuzkoa it appeared under the name of "Pro Estatuto Vasco", while in Álava and Navarre as "Candidatura Católico-fuerista".

The alliance won 15 mandates out of 470; Minoría Vasco-Navarra became one of the smallest parliamentary groups in the chamber. Its chairman was Joaquín Beunza Redín, the deputy chairman was José Antonio Aguirre. Its key objectives were 1) restraining belligerent secularisation of public life, promoted by centre-left; and 2) creating an autonomous region, which would consist of 4 provinces in question.

Between July and August 1931 the Minoría tried to form alliances with many other parties, but were only able to find common ground with the Spanish Agrarian Party, though were still unable to come to an agreement.

In practical terms the Basque-Carlist alliance broke up in June 1932, when during works on autonomy the mayors from Carlist-dominated Navarre rejected the scheme. At this point PNV leaders concluded that alliance with the Traditionalists offered no gains and Minoría Vasco-Navarra became a rather formal arrangement, maintained only for the sake of some technical benefits, enjoyed by parliamentary groupings in the Cortes. There was no attempt to re-create the alliance during the electoral campaign of 1933.

Composition

nameage political current district # of votes % of votes % of electorate profession side during the war during Francoism death Aguirre Lecube, José Antonio 27 Nationalist Navarre 46,419 62,9 52,5 lawyer R on exile, PM of Basque exile gvnmnt 1960 Aizpún Santafé, Rafael 42 independent Navarre 46,699 63,3 52,9 lawyer N in Cortes, Juanista, sidetracked 1981 Basterrechea Zaldívar, Francesco 43 Nationalist Biscay (P) 14,601 49,2 39,4 lawyer R on exile until 1952, later out of politics 1975 Beunza Redín, Joaquín 59 Traditionalist Navarre 46,102 62,5 52,2 lawyer - - 1936 Domínguez Arévalo, Tomás 49 Traditionalist Navarre 45,940 62,3 51,0 landowner N minister, Juanista 1952 Eguileor Orueta, Manuel 47 Nationalist Biscay (C) 23,319 37,0 28,5 technician, entrepreneur, publisher R on exile until late 1940s, later out of politics 1970 Gortari Errea, Miguel 44 independent Navarre 46,925 63,6 53,1 entrepreneur, civil servant N Pamplona mayor, longtime Cortes deputy 1968 Horn Areilza, José 51 Nationalist Biscay (C) 23,540 37,4 28,8 lawyer, civil servant, academic - - 1936 Leizaola Sánchez, Jesús María 35 Nationalist Gipuzkoa 35,901 58,3 49,1 lawyer R on exile until 1976, PM of Basque exile gvnmnt 1989 Oreja Elósegui, Marcelino 37 Traditionalist Biscay (P) 15,982 49,2 39,4 entrepreneur - - 1934 Oriol Uriguen, José Luis 54 Traditionalist Álava 8,016 37,6 30,6 entrepreneur N in regime-related business oligarchy 1972 Picavea Leguía, Rafael 64 independent Gipuzkoa 35,937 58,4 49,2 entrepreneur, publisher, official R on exile 1946 Pildain Zapiain, Antonio 41 independent Gipuzkoa 35,942 58,4 49,2 religious N longtime bishop of the Canary Islands 1973 Robles Aranguiz, Manuel 47 Nationalist Biscay (P) 19,527 60,1 48,1 journalist, author, trade union activist R on exile until 1976 1982 Urquijo Ibarra, Julio 60 Traditionalist Gipuzkoa 35,819 58,2 49,0 landowner N focused on science, stayed clear of politics 1950

See also Partido Nacionalista Vasco Comunión Tradicionalista

Footnotes

References

Further reading Víctor Manuel Arbeloa Muru, La minoría vasco-navarra: La religión y la autonomía, Pamplona 2015, ISBN 9788423533978 Martin Blinkhorn, Carlism and Crisis in Spain, 1931-1939, Cambridge 2008, ISBN 9780521086349 Jaime Ignacio del Burgo, La epopeya de la foralidad vasca y navarra, Pamplona 2016, ISBN 9788494503702 Idoia Estornés Zubizarreta, La construcción de una nacionalidad vasca, Donostia 1990, ISBN 9788487471049 José María Gil Angulo, Los parlamentarios de los territorios vasco-navarros y la discusión de la Constitución republicana de 1931, [in:] Espacio, Tiempo y Forma 12 (2000), pp. 393–414 Santiago de Pablo, El Estatuto Vasco y la cuestion foral en Navarra durante la Segunda República, [in:] Gerónimo de Uztariz 2 (1988), pp. 42–48

External links Minoria at Eusko Aunamendi Entziklopedia online