Aralar was born in the 1990s from a critical tendency within
Herri Batasuna (HB) and
Euskal Herritarrok (EH), led by Patxi Zabaleta. The tendency had its main base in
Navarre. The breaking of ETA's truce in 2000 provoked Herri Batasuna's reformation into
Batasuna, to have presence in all
Euskal Herria. Following disagreements over the internal organization of Batasuna, Aralar broke away to form a separate political party. In 2004 the youth wing of Aralar,
Iratzarri, was founded. In the May 2003 election for the Navarre Assembly, Aralar obtained 24,068 votes (8.02% of the valid votes) and four seats and in the same community obtained 4.76% of the valid votes in the municipal elections and 18 local councillors. In the
Basque Autonomous Community it obtained 30 councillors and 1.51% of the valid votes. Aralar contested the
Spanish general election, 2004 in the Basque Autonomous Community in coalition with
Zutik but failed to win any seats, polling 3.09% of the valid votes. The party contested in
Navarre as part of the coalition
Nafarroa Bai (NaBai), together with
Eusko Alkartasuna (EA),
Batzarre, the
Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and independents, obtaining a seat for the independent
Uxue Barkos and 18.04% of the whole of valid votes, which was the highest percentage and number of votes for a Basque nationalist list in Spanish General Elections in
Navarre. In the
2005 Basque elections, Aralar entered the
Basque Parliament with one seat and 2.33% of the votes. This seat was held by
Aintzane Ezenarro. In 2007, it won four local Assembly seats and 130 local council seats in the Basque Autonomous Community, in coalition with
Ezker Batua, and five local Assembly seats and 30 council seats in
Navarre, within
Navarre Yes. Aralar contested the
2008 General Elections in the Basque Autonomous Community polling 2.67% of the total votes, 0.42% less than Aralar-Zutik coalition's result four years ago. In Navarre the party kept the Nafarroa Bai coalition, which obtained the 18.53% (+0.55) and one seat, still held by Barkos. In the
2009 Basque elections, Aralar increased its presence in the
Basque Parliament with four seats and 6.04% of votes. The head of the parliamentary group is still
Aintzane Ezenarro. On 2 December 2017, Aralar leaders unanimously dissolved the party as part of merging into the
EH Bildu party, with which it was in coalition. This was done as the party's goal of defense and recognition of all human rights was deemed accomplished, and Alar found EH Bildu's internal democracy improved and allowing for multiple ideological currents. == See also ==