Term used for the Galician-speaking territories outside of Galicia
Galicia irredenta[1] ("Unredeemed Galicia") or Galicia estremeira[2] ("Outer" or "External Galicia"), also spelled as Galiza irredenta[3] and Galiza estremeira[4] and also known as Faixa Leste[5] or Franxa Leste[6] ("Eastern Strip"), is a term used for all Galician-speaking territories located outside of Galicia. These are all located in Spain, in either Asturias or Castile and León.[7][8] These territories are sometimes divided into three subregions: El Bierzo (O Bierzo in Galician), Eo-Navia (Eo-Navia in Galician) and As Portelas (or Upper Sanabria, As Portelas or Alta Seabra in Galician).[9]
There have been several attempts from these territories to join Galicia. An example is Porto de Sanabria, a small village where, in 2018, a vote was organized to join to the region due to the lack of response from the government of Castile and León to requests from locals to fix a road. 202 people voted in favor, 19 against and 6 did a blank vote. However, this vote did not intend any official change and was only made to know the opinion of the inhabitants.[10]
Another example was that of El Bierzo, a comarca where more people prefer to join Galicia than to stay in Castile and León. There are people who have proposed to turn it into a new province of Spain and join it to Galicia.[11] This initiative became more serious when a request was sent in 2021 to the Xunta de Galicia asking it to recognize El Bierzo as a new province of Galicia.[12] This proposal was rejected by the Spanish prominent parties PP and PSOE.[13]
Map of Galician-speaking Asturias (Eo-Navia), claimed as part of Galicia irredenta.[9]
Map of the Galician-speaking part of El Bierzo, also claimed as part of Galicia irredenta.[9]
Map of the As Portelas region, the third region of Galicia irredenta.[9]