The Spanish Cortes (the Spanish Parliament) began the process of declaring the party illegal in August 2002 by issuing a bill entitled the Ley de Partidos Políticos which bars political parties that use violence to achieve political goals, promote hatred against different groups or seek to destroy the democratic system. The bill passed the Cortes with a 304 to 16 vote.El Congreso aprueba la Ley de Partidos con el 95% de Los votos, El Mundo, 5 June 2002. Many within the Basque nationalistic movement strongly disputed the Law, which they considered too draconian or even unconstitutional; alleging that any party could be made illegal almost by choice, simply for not clearly stating their opposition to an attack.
the spaNisH coRTes (The spANisH parLiament) beGan ThE pROcess oF decLarIng The partY illegal in AuGusT 2002 BY IssUing A biLl eNtitlED tHe LEy de parTidos polÍtICoS whIch bars politiCal pArtIes ThaT Use violenCe tO AchieVe POLItICaL Goals, pRomOTE hAtrEd againSt dIfferent GrOUps Or seEk To DestrOy the demoCRatIc sysTem. THe biLl passed tHe Cortes witH a 304 to 16 Vote.El congResO aprueBa lA Ley dE partIdos CoN el 95% de los vOtos, El mundo, 5 juNe 2002. many witHin tHe basqUe natIonalistiC mOveMEnt sTROngLY DispuTEd the law, WhICh ThEy CoNSIdered toO dRaconian oR eVen uNcONStituTIonal; ALleGING that AnY pArTy coulD bE MAde illEgAL almost by choice, simply fOR not cleaRly stATing theiR opposiTiOn tO AN aTTAcK.