Almost two million people in Spain's northern Basque region go to the polls on Sunday in the most important elections since the country returned to democracy more than 20 years ago.

Daniel Schweimler says greatest challenge is yet to come

The vote comes just over a month after the Basque separatist group, ETA, declared their ceasefire and most Basques will for the first time be voting without the threat of violence hanging over them, although security is still tight.

After the ceasefire was declared, the Spanish Government and main opposition parties all said they would wait until after the elections before making any major moves.

They said the regional elections would have to pass off peacefully and the results be respected, before they were convinced that ETA was committed to peace.

Inspiration from Northern Ireland

ETA has conducted a campaign of bombings, shootings and kidnappings against the Spanish authorities in their 30-year fight for independence, but now says it is willing to take the democratic road - inspired in part by the peace process in Northern Ireland.

They will be represented in the elections by their political wing Herri Batasuna, which usually wins between 12 and 15% of the vote.

The politicians in Madrid will be watching closely to see whether the ceasefire will generate an increase in their support.

Negotiated settlement

The party almost certain to win is the governing Basque Nationalist Party, which has been in power for the past 18 years.

They also want independence for the region, but reject violence and have always sought a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

The real battle is for second place between Herri Batasuna and Spain's two biggest political parties, the Popular Party and the Socialists, both of which oppose Basque independence.