ETA only has itself to blame for the ban

Spain's top court yesterday paved the way for two parties with close ties to the terrorist organisation ETA to be banned from standing in the Basque country's upcoming parliamentary elections. The Spanish daily La Vanguardia says ETA itself is to blame: "ETA's need to be present in the elections 'at any cost' – as formulated in its communiqués - has been denied. But it was the group itself that pushed its milieu into the corner of loneliness and non-representation. It is naturally unfortunate that in a democracy a section of society will not be represented, but it is much worse that certain MPs are controlled by those who have guns in their hands. … ETA relies on the bomb, as it once again proved with an attack in Madrid. … It therefore only has itself to blame."

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