Its structure was based in local assemblies, and claimed the right to self-determination of Catalonia within a confederal Catalan Countries.
The most representative were Jordi Carbonell, Josep Maria Espinàs, Magda Oranich, Avel·lí Artís i Gener and Armand de Fluvià.
After the success of the demonstration on 11 September 1979, called by the independentist left, in which 20,000 people participated, the Group chose an interim secretariat formed by Joan Albert Abril i Pons, Jordi Carbonell, Jaume Fuster, Josep Ferrer, Josep Maria López Llaví, Marc Palmés i Giró, Enric Pedrosa, Miquel Peiró, Jordi Vilanova, and i Martí Metge,[2] who organized a preparatory meeting on December 1, would make an analysis of the situation and start creating a new political movement.
NE presented lists to the elections to the Parliament of Catalonia in 1980, but suffered competition from BEAN, that tried to form a single left-wing independentist block, but failed.
On March 18, organized a Grand Meeting of the Catalan Sports Palace in Barcelona, with performances by Celdoni Fennel and Lluís Llach and support of people from other Catalan Countries like Vicent Andrés i Estellés, Eliseu Climent, Biel Oliver, Sebastià Serra i Pere Jofre (Socialist Party of Mallorca), Josep Maria Llompart, Isidor Marí Mayans, Miquel Mayol (Esquerra Catalana dels Treballadors), Andreu Murillo Tudurí (Socialist Party of Menorca) i Vicent Ventura.