A 202km-long human chain, linking the cities of San Sebastian and Bilbao with Vitoria – the seat of the Basque parliament, was formed by tens of thousands of people on June 10. Participants called for the right to vote over their future ties to Madrid.
As reported by the BBC, the region has a higher degree of self-government than Catalonia, which has been seeking independence from Madrid.
The Basque region, for instance, has more autonomy than any of Spain’s other 16 regions, with its own police force, education system, language and a special financial relationship with Madrid.
In contrast with Catalonia, where support for secession is close to 50%, support for independence within the Basque country is currently around 15-17% according to polls.
