He is recognized for his strategic skills and is a key figure in the party’s development. His leadership has been crucial in contemporary Basque politics, distinguishing himself in negotiations and institutional management, and he has shown that he is open to remaining at the head of the EBB if militancy so decides.
Andoni Ortuzar, president of the EBB of the PNV since 2013 and a political reference point at Euskal Herria, has built a solid career linked to the world of communications and politics. He is recognized for his strategic skills and is a key figure in the party’s development. His leadership is crucial in contemporary Basque politics and excels in negotiations and institutional management.
Andoni Ortuzar, born in 1962 in Abanto-Zierbana, comes from a family with ties to the PNV. At the age of 14, he joined EGI, the youth of the PNV, and in 1978, at the age of 16, he formalized his affiliation with the party.
In 2008, he was appointed chairman of the PNV’s Bizkai Buru Batzar (BBB), succeeding Iñigo Urkullu, who took over the leadership of the party.
In 2013, he was elected chairman of the Euskadi Buru Batzar, the party’s highest governing body, a position he reconfirmed in 2016 and 2020.
The capacity for dialogue and consensus has been one of Ortuzar’s most important political values: under his mandate, PNV and PSE-EE concluded a stability agreement that endures to this day and extends to all institutional levels.
Ortuzar himself has also personally taken responsibility for negotiating with Madrid at key moments: first with the PP (for example to support the 2018 general budgets), he showed his willingness to mediate in the Catalan process and it was his turn to mediate. Rajoy falls in the motion of censure resulting from the ruling in the Gürtel case.
The relationship with Pedro Sánchez has fluctuated: although the PNV has supported him, it has repeatedly accused the Spanish president of not adhering to the agreed calendar to complete Gernika’s statute. However, around 20 transfers have taken place since 2021 and a commitment has been signed to transfer the remaining transfers before the end of the year.
In particular, the wear and tear since the pandemic and the latest election results have forced Ortuzar to accelerate the renewal of the party. It is precisely in the context of this renewal process that Ortuzar has shown his willingness to continue leading the EBB, in what would be his fourth term, if the members decide to do so.
Source: EITB
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
