Strollad Pobl Vreizh

Strollad Pobl Vreizh (SPV), or Breton Republican Party in English, was a political group in Brittany, a region in France. It was active from 1979 to 1983. The SPV wanted Brittany to be a free country, separate from France. It used peaceful actions to share its ideas and supported people who did not want to join the French army. Its newspaper, Douar Breizh / République Bretonne, helped spread its message.

 History 

 Start of the Party 
The SPV began in spring 1979 in Paris. Breton activists started it because they wanted Brittany to be free from France. Later, people from Lower Brittany led the party, they wanted a free Breton republic, and were unhappy with the French Socialist Party. This party won the 1981 election but did not give more power to regions or support the Breton language. 

The SPV did not want to work with France, unlike another group called the Union Démocratique Bretonne (UDB). The UDB wanted more rights for Brittany but not full independence. The SPV looked at other countries like Ireland, Algeria, and Poland. These countries had groups fighting for freedom. The SPV saw Brittany as a place controlled by France. In 1981, it made a plan saying Brittany should be free.

 Actions 
The SPV used peaceful actions to share its ideas about a free Brittany. In February 1982, it started a newspaper called Douar Breizh / République Bretonne. The newspaper was printed in 2,500 to 3,000 copies. It shared news about Brittany and supported freedom movements in Ireland, Basque Country, and Corsica.

The SPV did symbolic protests. In November 1981, members went to a military base in Rennes. They tore down a French flag and did this to protest the arrest of Bretons who did not want to join the army. In August 1982, they put tar and feathers on a sign in Vannes. This sign was about a 1532 agreement that made Brittany part of France. In March 1983, they changed street names in some Breton cities to honor Breton soldiers and activists.

The SPV also fought against nuclear power projects in Brittany. It saw these projects as a way for France to control the region. It joined protests against a nuclear plant in Plogoff and another at Le Carnet in 1982. Police used force against these protests. The SPV supported young Bretons who refused to join the French army. In 1981, it protested in Rennes for activists who were in jail. In 1982, two members chained themselves to a politician in Guingamp to protest French rules. The SPV worked with the Mouvement Indépendantiste Breton (MIB) and raised money for jailed activists.

 Problems 
The French government made things hard for the SPV. In 1982, the government jailed SPV leader Jean-Pierre Le Mat. They wrongly said he was involved with weapons. In 1983, three members of the MIB got long prison sentences for refusing to join the army. The SPV said this was unfair. Some people called the SPV extreme, but the party said it was peaceful and wanted a republic.

The SPV disagreed with the UDB. It thought the UDB was too soft because it worked with France. Still, the SPV liked some of the UDB’s work to support Breton culture.

 End and Impact 
In November 1983, the SPV ended and joined the Mouvement Indépendantiste Breton (MIB). Some members joined a new group called Emgann. The SPV only existed for four years, but its actions and newspaper helped inspire other groups that wanted a free Brittany.

 Ideas 
The SPV wanted Brittany to be a free republic. It saw France as a country that controlled Brittany. In 1981, the SPV made a plan with these ideas:
 Brittany should be completely separate from France.
 Brittany should control its own government, money, and culture.
 Bretons should not join the French army.
 The SPV supported freedom movements in Ireland, Basque Country, and Corsica.
 It did not support fascism or racism, even though some people said it did.

The SPV believed in Breton nationalism (wanting Brittany to be its own country). It wanted Bretons to choose their own future.

 Symbols 
The SPV used the Gwenn-ha-du, the black-and-white flag of Brittany, with “SPV” written on it. It also had a logo with a triskelion (a Breton symbol with three spirals) and Excalibur (a sword from old stories). These symbols showed Breton strength. The SPV showed a big flag at meetings to excite its supporters.

 Organization 
The SPV was led by Jean-Pierre Le Mat, an engineer who refused to join the army. Other important members were Brigitte Lever (secretary), Alan Coraud (spokesperson), Yorann Delacourt (training), and Jakez Denis (money). The party had groups in Brest, Lorient, and Loire-Atlantique. It had committees for farming, international work, and sharing its ideas. The SPV held meetings, like one at Pen ar Creac’h in Brest. It raised money to support its work.

 References 

 Sources 







 Periodicals 
 Articles from Douar Breizh - République Bretonne 

 Regional press 

 National and international press