Translate the following English sentence to French:
"Ladies and gentlemen, since the first democratic elections took place in Spain in 1977, the Basque Country has emerged as the European region with the highest degree of self-government."
Mesdames et Messieurs, depuis les premières élections démocratiques en Espagne, en 1977, le Pays basque est devenu la région européenne qui bénéficie de la plus grande autonomie.