Using Petitions to Gain Public Support for a Government Peace Process

Historical Context of the Basque Country

Since the 15th century, the Basque country, on the border between France and Spain, has been disputed territory. Francisco Franco, dictator of Spain from 1939 to 1975, worsened the conflict. His repressive policies gave rise to Euskadi ta Askatasuna (ETA). ETA is a militant group now infamous for using terrorist tactics to fight for Basque autonomy. Currently, the vast majority of Basque people reject the ETA’s violence. They prefer working toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

The Creation of the Elkarri Petition

The Elkarri Social Movement for Dialogue and Agreement was formed in 1992 to work with both governments and citizens to further the peace process. In Spain, the right to petition is guaranteed by the constitution. Article 29 states: All Spaniards shall have the right to individual and collective petition, in writing, in the manner and subject to the consequences to be laid down by law.

Beginning in 2001, Elkarri held a massive signature drive. They asked people to sign a document demanding the initiation of a dialogue of peace between all parties in the Basque region. Since its start, Elkarri has been building a database of poeple intrested in their activities. So, besides collecting signatures at their events, they also contacted these people for their support. Elkarri also asked each person for a donation of about $7 USD and to volunteer their time. To date 123,000 citizens have signed the petition, 10,000 people have become Elkarri volunteers, and over $200,000 USD has been donated. Representatives of all political parties, except the Partido Popular of Spain, have signed the document.

Elkarri also networks with international human rights groups to gain their support. They send out a document similar to the peace petition and ask the organizations to sign it to give their support to the peace process. Signing the document does not show any commitment beyond symbolic support for the efforts of peace and dialogue. Later, if the individuals or organizations that are part of the network wish to take part more they can contact Elkarri. This petition initiative gives strength to the peace process by associating it with well-respected international groups. It also adds to the resources of Elkarri by giving them feedback and ideas from the various organizations.

Impact and Recommendations

Due to this and other similar campaigns, the Spanish Parliament has recently supported the possibility of developing peace talks in the Basque region. This procedure has achieved a lot thus far, and will hopefully result in a successful peace process. Elkarri does offer several recommendations to other groups: firstly, it is important to have diverse ways that people can become involved in the process. This can range from simply signing their name, to actually becoming a member of Elkarri. The group highlights the importance of using clear and positive messages. They also emphasize collaborating with other institutions, to develop complementary political and international initiatives. And finally, they encourage investing in a database which holds the names of potential supporters.

For more information on this tactic, read our in-depth case study.

What we can learn from this Tactic:

Elkarri's own recommendations are important to keep in mind when considering a petition-based tactic. Organizations should also have a clear understanding of the political situation and the likelihood of the government to respond favorably to such an initiative. In some more authoritarian states, the government may not be interested in listening to the demands of the citizens, and a list of petition signers or potential supporters could be dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands. However, in the right context a widely-signed petition can be a powerful political tool. Organizations might also consider enlisting the support of other NGOs, like Elkarri did. Giving other groups a chance to add their name to the petition without requiring them to become involved broadens an initiative's support base and may even lead to higher levels of involvement once the signatory groups realize the importance of the movement.