Inside Story

What’s behind ETA’s disbandment decision?

The armed group has fought for six decades for a homeland in northern Spain and southwest France.

ETA has waged a campaign of violence, killing hundreds of people and injuring thousands more.

The separatist group, whose name stands for Basque Homeland and Freedom, had wanted an independent state in parts of Spain and France.

Now the organisation says it is dissolving and ending its violent campaign.

International negotiators have praised the announcement and called for dialogue.

The group issued an apology last month to the victims, saying it took “direct responsibility”.

But Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s prime minister, says ETA’s crimes will not go unpunished.

What will this move mean for other separatist movements in Europe?

Presenter: Hoda Abdelhamid

Guests:

Enric Ucelay-de Cal senior professor emeritus at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona

Luk van Langenhove academic director at the Institute for European Studies

Gianluca Busato organiser of the unofficial independence referendum in Venice