In this VIII GALEUSCA HISTORY Congress we aim to reflect on several historical milestones whose anniversaries will be commemorated in 2026 and which particularly affect the countries of the GALEUSCA network. First, the 150th anniversary of the end of the last Carlist War (1872–1876)
will allow us to analyse the political changes between the Democratic Six-Year Period and the beginning of the Restoration regime, translated in the Basque Country into the Law of 21 July 1876 and the start of the Economic Agreement system.

Secondly, the 90th anniversary of the approval of the Basque Statute of Autonomy (1 October 1936) and of the plebiscite on the Statute of Autonomy of Galicia (28 June 1936) will provide an opportunity to assess their context and compare them with the development of Catalan autonomy, in force since 1932.

Likewise, the 90th anniversary of the fascist military uprising and the outbreak of the Civil War will allow us to study the military events in GALEUSCA territories, their political development, and the various forms of physical, political, economic and professional repression exercised by the Francoist regime, as well as the forced exile of the Catalan, Galician and Basque peoples.

This VIII GALEUSCA Congress will also pay tribute to one of the driving forces behind this network, Professor Joseba Agirreazkuenaga, in recognition of his long academic career. Considering that one of his main contributions has been the revitalisation of institutional history, the congress will
address the analysis of the creation and evolution of GALEUSCA institutions of all kinds: political, social, cultural, and others.