| Euskal Herria Bai | |
| Native Name: | Basque Country Yes |
| Colorcode: | green |
| General Secretary: | Nikolas Blain |
| Founded: | 2007 (as an alliance) 2022 (as a party) |
| Ideology: | Basque independence Left-wing nationalism Abertzale left Socialism Ecologism |
| Position: | Left-wing to far-left |
| National: | New Popular Front (2024–present) |
| Seats2 Title: | National Assembly (Basque seats) |
| Seats3 Title: | Departamental Council of Pyrénées-Atlantiques |
| Website: | www.ehbai.eus |
| Country: | Basque Country |
Euskal Herria Bai (EH Bai) is a Basque political party and former electoral alliance in France, founded in 2007 by Abertzaleen Batasuna, Eusko Alkartasuna and Batasuna.[1] Batasuna was dissolved in 2013, and replaced by Sortu.[2] It became a unified party in November 2022.[3]
The coalition first contested the 2007 legislative elections as a union of three parties: Abertzaleen Batasuna, Batasuna, and Eusko Alkartasuna. Although initial discussions included the possibility of the Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ) joining the coalition, EAJ ultimately decided to remain outside due to the resumption of ETA's armed campaign on June 5, 2007.[4]
In 2011, the three parties forming the coalition called for an end to party divisions, as members of the Basque nationalist movement were demanding unity, aiming to become a single, strong movement. This push for unity was reflected in both the 2012 legislative elections and the 2014 municipal elections, serving as a sign of the organization’s unification and an effort to concretely define the organization through a participatory process.
On December 22, 2014, EH Bai held its first General Assembly in Uztaritze. In March 2018, another General Assembly decided to change the leadership of EH Bai, signaling a shift in the political phase in response to ETA's cessation of armed struggle. Additionally, the assembly resolved that EH Bai would transition from being a coalition to becoming a unified movement, focusing on local groups rather than political parties.[5]
For the 2024 French legislative elections, EH Bai joined the New People's Front (NPF) and participated in the elections as part of this alliance. In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques's 6th constituency (which includes the cities of Saint-Jean-de Luz, Biarritz and Hendaye) EH Bai member Peio Dufau was selected as the candidate for the NPF.[6]
Dufau won the first round of the election with 29,4% of the votes, just ahead of the Ensemble and the extreme-right candidates, who also progressed to the second round. In the second round Dufau won 36,3% of the votes, edging out the Ensemble candidate for first place.[7] Dufau is the first Basque nationalist elected to the National Assembly.
| National Assembly | |||||||
| Election | 1st round | 2nd round | Seats | +/– | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| 2007 | 10,781 | 6.73 (#4) | 0 | ||||
| 2012 | 11,518 | 7.37 (#4) | 0 | ||||
| 2017 | 12,778 | 8.82 (#4) | 0 | ||||
| 2022 | 16,386 | 11.31 (#4) | 0 | ||||
| 2024 | 21,650 | 29.41 (#1) | 27,117 | 36.28 (#1) | 1 | ||
| Departmental Council of Pyrénées-Atlantiques | ||||||||
| Election | 1st round | 2nd round | Seats | +/– | Note | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |||||
| 2008 | 12,302 | 13.75 (#3) | 0 | |||||
| 2011 | 16,233 | 12.84 (#3) | 0 | |||||
| 2015 | 17,779 | 16.09 (#3) | 25,332 | 24.29 | 2 | |||
| 2021 | 20,821 | 24.68 (#2) | 23,505 | 27.47 | 0 | |||