Bloque Nacionalista Galego
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The Bloque Nacionalista Galego (Galician Nationalist Bloc), BNG, is a nationalist political organisation in Galicia in Spain, founded in 1982. Ideologically, the BNG defends the Galician language and the autonomy of the Parliament of Galicia. Structurally, the BNG consists of independents and federated political parties and constitutes a permanent electoral coalition (see below). At one time, the BNG supported the independence of Galicia as a long-term goal, but after absorbing the regionalist Unidade Galega in 1990, the BNG moved to a policy opposing Galician independence and supporting autonomy within Spain.
The main leaders of BNG are: Anxo Quintana, National Spokesperson Xosé Manuel Beiras, President of the National Council.
It was the second largest political group in the Galician Parliament after the 2001 elections with 17 seats, slightly ahead of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), but in the 2005 elections they lost 4 seats and slipped to third place. Despite this disappointing result, it has had enough support to take part in the government of Galicia, in coalition with the socialist party. This is the first experience in government for the Galician nationalists and Anxo Quintana received the vice-presidency.
The party won about 0.8% of the vote in the Spanish legislative election, 2004. They hold 2 seats in the Spanish Parliament (Congress).
They lost their one Euro-MP in the European elections of 2004.
BNG describes itself as a 'patriotic front' which works on an assembly-based model whereby each individual member votes in her/his own name.
Although the vast majority of its members are so-called 'independents', i.e. affiliated exclusively to the BNG, the BNG does recognise a number of other groups within it, although they do not play a direct role in the BNG as such. Joint militancy with other political organisations not recognised by the BNG is not allowed.
The political organisations currently recognised by the BNG via a lengthy ratification process are as follows:
- Unión do Povo Galego (UPG): "The Galician People's Union", a communist party
- Esquerda Nacionalista (EN): "Nationalist Left," a social-democratic party
- Unidade Galega (UG): "Galician Unity" a social-democratic party
- Colectivo Socialista (CS): "Socialist Collective" a socialist party
- Inzar (I) : formed through the merger of the Galician branches of the Maoist Communist Movement (Movimiento Comunista - MC) and the Trotskyist Revolutionary Communist League (Liga Comunista Revolucionaria - LCR)
- Partido Nacionalista Galego-Partido Galesguista (PNG): "Galician Nationalist Party- Galeguist Party" a liberal democratic party
