SNP conference : "It is time for Scotland to become independent"

Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon held the party's conference in Edinburgh on April 27-28th. "It is time for Scotland to become independent,'' said the leader's party Nicola Sturgeon, to roaring applause. The events of the last six months at Westminster have proven beyond any reasonable doubt; the United Kingdom political system has failed – and it has failed Scotland utterly." added former SNP leader John Swinney.

SNP approved measures as "establishing a Scottish National Investment Bank. More teachers.
More nurses. Lower crime. And for the majority… lower taxes." The SNP has launched a new website as part of its independence campaign. The SNP's currency plans for an independent Scotland was approved by its party conference - although grassroots members forced changes to the leadership's original proposals. The proposal is that an independent Scotland should retain the pound initially, before shifting to a new Scottish currency if and when six stringent economic tests were met.

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Basque national parties clearly defeat the Spanish ones and rise a 38 %

Pro independence EH Bildu rises from 2 to 4 MPs growing to 212,200 votes from 152,782. It means that EH Bildu rises from 13,3 % to 16,7 % (and 15,07 % in 2015). The Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ-PNV) won the Spanish elections in the Basque Country with a percentage of 31,05 %. In 2016 it obtained a 24,91 % and in 2015 a 24,75 % so it's the best result for the jelkides in a decade. EAJ-PNV rises from 5 to 6 MPs and from 286,215 to 394,627 votes. All the Spanish nationalist right parties (PP, Vox, and Cs) cannot win even a MP in the Basque Country. The Basque national parties win 167,000 votes more than 2016 (a 38 %) and rise from 41,61 % to 47,75 %.

The situation changes in Navarra where the division causes the defeat of Basque forces. EH Bildu obtains 46,640 (12,77 %) and Center right coalition Geroa Bai wins 22,150 (6,06 %). Both grow from the 2016 elections where the pro independence left obtained 31,310 (9,38 %) and Geroa Bai 14,429 (4,28 %) but cannot obtain even a MP. The turnout in Navarra was 70,58 % in 2016 and rose to 76,29 % in 2019. In the Basque Country rose rose to 74,52 % from 67,44 %.

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Galician BNG doubles the number of votes

The Galician Nationalist Block (BNG) obtained 44,902 (2,89 %) in the last elections and 70,464 (4,32 %) the year before. The last time that the BNG obtained MPs was in 2011 with 184,037 (11,18 %). On April 28th the party recovered from the last election débâcle rising to 93,810 meaning a 5,74 %. The party is now the fifth force in Galicia. The autonomist Compromise for Galicia obtained 2,692 votes (0,16 %). Ana Pontón, BNG's leader, said that "we have not achieved all our aims" but explained as the party is "recovering in an upward trend".

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Pro independence party win Spanish elections in Catalonia

With a turnout rising 13 points to 77,58 % Spanish elections in Catalonia have been won by a pro independence party first time ever. Catalonia's Republican Left (ERC) lead by political prisoner Oriol Junqueras defeated the Spanish ruling Socialist party. ERC rises from 18,17 % to 24,59 % meaning 1,015,355 from 629,294 votes. 

It's the first time that a Catalan pro independence party wins a Spanish election in Catalonia. The trend is clearly up:
2011:    244,847 votes (7 %) 3MPs *
2015: 1,164,790 (21 %) and 17 MPs
2016: 1,111,133 (32,2 %) and 17 MPs
2019: 1,626,001 (39,39 %) and 22 MPS

Pro independence parties ries from 32 % in 2016 to 39 % on April 28th 2019. ERC rises from 9 to 15 MPs, Together for Catalonia loses one: from 8 to 7 in spite of growing from 482,000 to 491,000 votes. The new Republican Front (a CUP's faction plus Pirates plus We're Alternative) obteined 113,008 votes meaning a 2,74 % but could not pass the 3 % threshold as the autonomists Convergents with 2,406 votes (0,06 %).

In the Valencian Country Compromís coalition renewed its MP with 172,751 votes (6,45 %) Pro independence ERPV obtained 4,203 (0,16 %). Both parties had not an own list in 2016 (Compromís formed coalition with Spanish left).

In the Balearic Islands Més also formed a coalition with Spanish left in 2016 but this time it had its own list called Veus Progressistes formed by Més per Mallorca, Més per Menorca, ERC and Ara Eivissa. "We've had bad results, really" said the leader Guillem Balboa. The coalition obtained no MP with 25,384 votes and a 4,9 % Center right autonomists from El PI obtained 11,671 meaning a 2,25 %. In 2016 a common list called 'Sobirania per les Illes' promoted by ERC won 7,418 (1,6 %) . In 2015 Més won 33,931 (7 %) and El Pi 12,902 (2,67 %).

* Autonomist coalition Converngence and Union obtained 1,015,691 votes and a 29 %. Both CiU and ERC added 21 MPs (16 and 3) and 1,260,454 votes but CiU was not in favour of independence. 

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Puyalón de Cuchas obtains less than a thousand votes

Nor Chunta Aragonesista nor Partido Aragonés participated in the Spanish elections last April 28th. Their aim was to favour Spanish left and right parties respectively. The pro independence party Puyalón de Cuchas, leftist, obtained 824 votes meaning a 0,11 %.

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New Canary Islands pro independence alliance fails but autonomists double

In 2011 the Canarian National Alternative (ANC) obtained 3,180 (0,34 %) and People's Unity (UP) 1,1,38 (0,12 %). In 2015 UP rose to 2,874 (0,29 %) but ANC had not list. The UP party was down to684 (0,07 %) in 2016. This year a coalition was formed by ANC, UP and the Canarian National Congress. It is called Ahora Canarias (Now Canarias) obtained 3,027 votes, meaning a 0,29 % less than ANC alone in 2011.

The Canarian Coalition and the Canarian Nationalist Party obtained 137,196 votes (12,96 %) wining two MPs. The autonomist list rose from 78,080 (7,99 %) and doubled its MPs from one to two. New Canary in 2016 had no independent list but formed coalition with the Spanish socialist party. This year presented its own list failing to obtain an MP with 36,193, a 3,42 %.

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Andecha Astur obtains less than a thousand votes

With a 0,15 % the pro independence party Andecha Astur gets no MPs in the Spanish elections. Andecha Astur did no present a list in 2016 nor 2015. The party obtained 1,018 votes meaning a 0,17 % in 2011. In spite of the bad result AA will be in the Spanish parliament thanks to an angreement with Basque and Catalan parties.

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Sardinia's National Day: "The Sardinian Language is Our Identity"

"The Sardinian Language is Our Identity" said the new President of Sardinia, Christian Solinas (Sardinian Action Party) on April 28th. A mass in limba (Sardinian Language) in Casteddu was followed by a solemn meeting of the Sardinian Parliament where Solinas also spoke in Sardinian. Pro independence leader Giovanni Maria Angioy was the most aforementioned.

"Sa Die (The Day) reminds us of a historical event (the revolt of the Sardinian vespers of April 28th 1794, ed), but it also has a great importance for the present, because it allows us to ask ourselves what we can do for Sardinia today: who we are, what we want and where we want to arrive." According to Solinas, language is the most representative element of identity. "It must be open to changes - he pointed out - a way of speaking is also a way of doing because language is not only a means of communicating but also something useful for witnessing thoughts and feelings. We cannot close the language at home, under house arrest, Sardinian is spoken everywhere: at school, in church, in offices and at work".

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Progetu Repùblica de Sardigna launches the campaign against plastic marine waste: "Sardigna chene plàstica"

On Saturday April 20, ProgReS - Progetu Repùblica party hold a press conference for the presentation of the Sardigna Chene Plàstica national campaign: in the heart of one of the protected marine areas of Sardinia, that of the Sinis-Maldiventre, at the local VentoMaestro, leaders of the independentist party illustrated the campaign for the reduction and progressive banishment of non-biodegradable disposable plastic. The first initiative of this campaign consists in making available to Sardinian local administrators a motion-model to be presented in the local authorities.

Press Release | Progetu Repùblica de Sardigna launches the campaign for the protection and defense of the Sardinian sea: "Sardigna chene plàstica". In accordance with the European strategy that aims to reduce the production of disposable it is our intention to contribute to safeguarding the planet by taking care of the health of the Sardinian seas.

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Spanish Electoral Board refuses a question for being written in Asturian language

The party Andecha Astur presented a claim to the electoral board but it was refused yesterday. The board answer that it is written in Asturian language and refuses it. Paulo Arboleya, from AA, remembers that the Spanish Constitutional Court granted in 2000 the right to use Asturian for electoral process as this one. In fact the Asturian national party remembers that the board recently accepted some questions in Asturian language.

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Venetians independentists star St Mark's Day in Venice

The Comitato Liberazione Nazionale Veneto (CLNV) as Asenblèa Veneta stared the celebrations of the Saint Mark's Day. CLNV and the Gruppo Intervento Rapido attrackted hundreds in the San Marco's Square to denounce the Italian colonization and claiming for independence. AV marched though the city with a big Catalan pro independence stared flag and Carlo Lottieri's speech asked for a democratic solution both in Veneto and Catalonia.

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Patriotti's Corsican movement denounces trial against Corsican former prisoner

At a press briefing yesterday in Bastia, the Patriotti collective was keen to lend its full support to Jean-Philippe Antolini. who is also an active activist of this group. The Corsican activist will be tried by the court of Aix-en-Provence this Thursday, April 25. It is indeed warned to have broadcast the video of a hearing of the court of Bastia on a social network.

Olivier Sauli framed his speech by that "it is the same state which, with its judicial system, persecutes the former prisoners since it decided to relocate this trial to the court of Aix, Ghjuvan' Filippu Antolini. In this case, he is accused of having filmed a hearing that took place in September 2018 at the courthouse of Bastia."

Finally Antolini was fined with 1,000 €. The Corsican militant refused to answer the questions of the president of the court, considering that nothing could justify the measure of relocation of the trial to Aix-en-Provence out of Corsica. 

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Nicola Sturgeon wants second Scottish independence vote before 2021

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday said she will push ahead with plans for a second Scottish independence referendum within the next two years if the UK quits the European Union.
While Ms Sturgeon said she wants to have cross-party talks with opposition leaders about Scotland's future in the wake of Brexit, she also announced that new legislation laying down the rules for a future referendum would be introduced "shortly" at Holyrood.
Plans for this framework Bill, along with the creation of a new Citizens Assembly, were announced in a statement to Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) on Wednesday.
She told them: "I can confirm that the Scottish government will act to ensure that the option of giving people a choice on independence later in this term of parliament is progressed."

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Rally for the Frisian language called for April 24th in The Hague

The Council of the Frisian Movement (Ried fan de Fryske Beweging), the Association of Frisian Education and Civil Action Group Sis Tsiis have called for a march on Wednesday 24 April. Their aim is to join a large number of Frisians  to The Hague to make clear to the House and the government that the central government must better fulfill its duties with regard to Frisian.

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Basque National Day Marches Held

Thousands of people demonstrated today in Iruñea for the celebration of the Aberri Eguna (Basque National Day) convened by EH Bildu. The EAJ-PNV, Basque Nationalist Party, celebrated the day in Bilbo. The first ones marched under the motto "Erabaki" (To advance) and called to reunite a million of pro independence votes in the Spanish state elections. The latter have been more modest in their project and have been limited to demanding those who govern the Spanish state that, if they want their support, support Basque autonomy as well as has accused EH Bildu of "maximalism." In the Northern Basque Country, Iparralde, a thousand people have manifested themselves under the slogan

They walked past the footsteps of St. Jean de Luz. Full day animations started on the Market Stall. "Build here, decide here" ("Build here, decide here").




Up: March in Iruñea. Down: Meeting in Bilbo and march in Donibane Garazi

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Petrol bombs thrown at police in Derry as journalist killed

People throw petrol bombs at armoured police vehicles during a night in which 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee died after shots were fired in the Creggan area of the city. Northern Irish police say they are treating the death as a ‘terrorist incident’ by the New IRA. The unrest comes before the Easter weekend when republicans mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising.

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A thousand people claim to end French repression in Corsica

The former political prisoners collective 'I Patriotti' (The Patriots) called for a rally in Bastia on April 13th. It was suported by three students unions, one labor union and several parties and civical associations. Demonstrators denounced the French repression of Corsican national militants including files with DNA of some Corsican activists.

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5,000 people rally in València for national and cultural rights

Cultural Action of the Valencian Country (ACPV) convoked the march on April 13th. It commemorates the Battle of Almansa on April 1707 where the Borubon army defeated the Habusburg forces. The defeat was the end of the autonomy of the Kingdom of Valencia and gave rise to the proverbs; "De ponent, ni vent ni gent," ('From the west, neither wind nor people'). «312 years ago,  the Valencian people have come a long way to save words, language and recover our self-government». The demonstration, supported by several labor unions ans civicasl as well political movements called for the return of Catalan language TV which Spain bans to broadcast in the Valencian Country as well as to free Catalan political prisoners.

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