From Belfast to Bilbao: Assessing the Influence of the Good Friday Agreement in the Basque Country

This paper explores how the Good Friday Agreement has been applied in the Basque case by the izquierda Abertzale (‘nationalist left’). It examines their understanding of the Good Friday Agreement and what role it serves in their transition from armed conflict to a nonviolent strategy. It utilizes narrative analysis on interviews with three members of the political leadership of the Abertzale left while also being influenced by other interviews including with members of Sinn Féin and peace facilitators. By looking at the chronology of the three most recent attempts for peace in the Basque Country (1998, 2006 and present day), the narrative highlights how their relationship with Irish republicans and their sharing of their experience has played a role that fits neither model nor thick description. This contributes to wider debates on conflict transformation, especially with regards to the question ‘What, if anything, can we learn from Northern Ireland’?