The EH Bildu brand wins a seat in the French National Assembly for the first time in its history

The EH Bildu coalition, which uses the EH Bai brand in Iparralde, has won a seat in the French National Assembly for the first time in history. Its candidate Pio Dufau has won the legislative election in the sixth constituency of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, which brings together cities such as Hendaye and Biarritz. EH Bai had joined forces with the Socialists, Communists, Mélenchonist rebels or environmentalists in the New Popular Front and was responsible for leading one of the three electoral districts into which the Basque-speaking region is divided.

Notably, Dufau obtained 36.28% of the vote in the sixth constituency, out of 27,000 ballots cast. He won by a slim margin (35.33% and less than 700 votes) over the Macronist candidate of the Modem party. The far-right slipped to third place. The New Popular Front also won the fourth and fifth districts, although it was led by Socialist candidates.

In addition to the fact that France is a much more centralized country than Spain, the electoral system with only one seat per constituency and two returns makes it difficult for “regionalist” forces to participate, which is how EH Bai is technically defined. The PNV (there EAJ-PNB) obtained almost 5% of the vote in the first round and had requested votes for the nationalist left with the aim of stopping the extreme right, although in Europe they are partners of the liberal group in which Emmanuel Macron participates.

“Great news from Lapurdi! A dream and a historic result. EH member Bai Pio Dufau has won in his constituency. “Full of emotion, Zorionak!” “We have risen to the challenge. There are even more of us,” said Otegi, who highlighted that this is the first time in history that something like this has happened. Indeed, in 1962 the Basque deputy was Michel Labéguier, although this is before the creation of the local organization of the PNV in Iparalde, which has barely 150 inhabitants, or EH Bai, which brings together the delegations of Sortu, EA – a party that has also highlighted the achievement – and other independents and which have a much greater penetration in the territory.

Dufau and EH Bai, for their part, have agreed that there will be “three representatives” in Paris who will defend the Basque “voice”, adding also the other two elected Socialists from the New Popular Front, which is also the majority force in the new camera. “Thank you very much for believing in our project,” said the elected candidate. “It is a historic moment. There are a lot of excited people. Me too,” Dufau explained in Basque.