The PNV has celebrated the great party of its party, the Alderdi Eguna (Party Day), with a speech in which the internal key and the will to harangue its militants have prevailed in the face of a transcendental political course, which will conclude, expected in June, with Basque elections. “They are coming for us,” said both the Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, and the president of the party, Andoni Ortuzar. The two Jeltzales leaders have urged in this situation to “re-stitch the party and get excited again” while, in the words of Ortuzar, they have focused on the opportunity that opens up in Madrid to review the territorial model: “We have before us an exciting opportunity.”
The results of the last two electoral events had triggered expectations both about the PNV's mobilizing capacity in its party's big party and about the message that the Jeltzales leaders would carry.
In relation to the first point, the PNV has passed the exam and has managed to gather several thousand militants in the fields of Foronda, far from the level of years in which politicization in Basque society and the mobilization capacity of the jeltzales They were older, but at a sufficient level to offer an image of strength and cohesion. It is evident that there is concern within the party after the latest electoral setbacks and that there is a murmur in the air about the reasons for a very rapid electoral decline, going from its electoral ceiling to practically its floor in municipal and general elections in four years. .
The Jeltzales were looking for a day like today to instil optimism among their people and recharge their batteries for an electoral course that is vital for their future. The speeches given by Iñigo Urkullu and Andoni Ortuzar have been directed towards that objective.
Basically, their words have sought to warn of the demands of the political and electoral situation and have tried to incite militancy in the face of a short term that, in any case, they have described as “exciting,” alluding to the window of opportunity that they see in Madrid to reformulate the territorial model and, also, the challenges that Euskadi faces in social, economic, demographic or climatic matters
That is to say, Urkullu and Ortuzar have wanted to offer an x-ray of the moment, demanding, but at the same time stimulating, and have also shown the way in which they intend to reconnect with the electorate: to be more PNV than ever, recovering the territorial issue and raising his own discourse, without concessions to either the left or the right.
In relation to the political moment, Urkullu has warned of the complexity of the situation from a political and electoral point of view. “They have been waiting for us and they are coming for us,” he said. The Lehendakari, in that sense, has claimed the power of “a party more united than ever” to face this situation.
Ortuzar has repeated that “they are coming for us”, although he has tried to draw an optimistic horizon, appealing to cohesion within the party, its historical journey and a political proposal that occupies political centrality. “Neither left nor right. Euskadi and democracy”, he pointed out, as he already did a few weeks ago at an event in Zarautz.
The president of the PNV has also highlighted the complexity of the political moment in Spain, but emphasizing above all the “opportunity” that opens up for Euskadi around the negotiation of the investiture.
“Democracy in Spain is bad (in Basque he said “weak and sick”), you just have to see the circus that has been set up in Congress for speaking in Basque, Catalan and Galician. We are willing to contribute, but we want it to reciprocate. For 20 years it has been impossible to talk about the territorial model of the State, the slightest debate about the national recognition of Euskadi or Catalonia has been impossible. Well, the time has come to do it, with caution, but with courage. “We are ready,” he indicated.
Ortuzar added that “intense weeks are coming,” but also an “exciting opportunity.” “This opportunity depends on our own strength. We must leave the comfort of the batzokis to open them to new realities as we have always done,” he indicated.
The Lehendakari, for his part, has dedicated a good part of his speech to insisting on the model he proposes for Euskadi, in an effort to highlight his own profile that gives an idea of the political line that he will continue looking to next spring's elections.
Urkullu has highlighted that "the key to the PNV during its 128 years of history" is "its commitment to the principles and values of humanism." "The centrality of the person is the first value. It is our priority and we approach it with humility, closeness and sincerity," he added.
"The second value is to share prosperity and contribute to generating wealth and distributing that wealth with equity. The third value is social cohesion on the basis of social justice, to combat and maintain policies of inclusion and solidarity. The fourth value is political culture of collaboration, agreement and alliances, which constitutes a hallmark of our project," he listed.
Finally, Urkullu dedicated part of his speech to defending his Government's management against "catastrophic messages" and "destructive criticism that seeks to damage the reputation" of Euskadi, as well as "strikes and demonstrations" carried out "for political interests." "
“Ten years ago the unemployment rate was 16.6%, today it is 7.4%. Spending per person on health was 2,700 euros, today 3,500, more than the European average; Spending per person on social protection was 7,900 euros, today 9,900, more than in Europe. Industry and advanced services account for over 40% of the Basque economy, more than the European average. Euskadi among the top seven European countries with the greatest gender equality. 92% of the Basque population lives far from poverty. Better than in Europe," he listed.
