At the end of this legislative term, we must remember that the Popular Party and the Socialist Party, Rajoy and Zapatero, completely disagree on the way to confront ETA’s terrorism. Hence, in the coming years, the government’s actions regarding ETA depend completely on who wins the general elections. However, beyond moral indignation, it is necessary to be realistic and extremely clear; in the general elections of March, Spaniards will have to choose what kind of response they want their government to have towards terrorism.

 

The first option is that of Zapatero: Resume negotiations with the terrorists just as he has been doing during this legislative term. Zapatero thinks it is reasonable to negotiate with ETA, because he thinks they are right in some of their postulates. Both believe it is time to go beyond the Constitution of 1978 because it is not an acceptable document. They feel it is not leftist enough, and does not respect the Basques’ right to decide. Both are convinced that the culprits of this situation are the Spanish Right of the past and the Popular Party of today. Therefore, after Zapatero’s victory, they will speak – as they have already been doing – about self-determination, Navarre, legalizing ETA’s political front and about freeing prisoners. The ultimate result will be a change in the Spanish political regime, where the comfort of Otegui, Ternera and Gorizelaia will match the displeasure of San Gil, Rosa Díez, Mikel Buesa and Fernando Savater.

 

The other possibility for the future is Rajoy’s model, which is the same as Aznar’s: No respite on terrorism. The policy would aim to throw them out of our institutions, remove them from our streets, and chase them down in Spain and overseas. There will be no negotiations because there is nothing to negotiate. This is based on the premise that the pluralist Constitutional regime is the best one of all. If the Constitution ever required altering, under no circumstances would it be done without the consent of the Spanish citizenry – as the Zapatero administration has been doing during the past years. For this is the model – such as Sarkozy reminded Zapatero – that can and should be used to defeat terrorism.

 

Spaniards will have to choose between these two models on March 9. Zapatero’s model: Enter into a pact with ETA about the future of the Basque, Navarrese and Spanish peoples. Rajoy’s model: Chase down the terrorist organization until its ultimate defeat. It is one model or the other; there is no room for compromise between the two. It is either a pact with ETA or its pursuit. It is either drinking coffee with ETA’s butchers, or a full-time pursuit to jail them as much as possible.

 

Lately, Rubalcaba and Zapatero are trying to shift the blame, and blur the difference. To do this they are shifting the tone of their statements on terrorism to a formal one which hides their true colors. They are also attempting to convince the Popular Party to forget its anti-terrorist policy during the electoral campaign. However, one should not play with fire.  At stake is the Spanish blood of democrats. Therefore, it is a responsibility on the part of the Popular Party to remind citizens what they will be voting for on March 9. It is necessary to speak about terrorism; Zapatero has many things to say and many answers to give. Moreover, the Popular Party must demand them day in and day out; that is if it does not want to end up sinking in the same electioneering and thuggish pool as Zapatero.

 

©2008 Translated by Miryam Lindberg