Izaskun Bilbao (photo) has been elected president of the Basque parliament after the PNV decided to replace thier original candidate, Juan María Atutxa. Ms Bilbao won the election with an absolute majority after the first round of voting, breaking the deadlock which had characterised the previous nine ballots on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday last week.

She received 42 votes, there were 19 abstentions, Miguel Buen, who had been withdrawn as a candidate by the PSE, received one vote while PP candidate Carmelo Barrio got twelve.

The successful election allowed the parliament to proceed to the next round of voting, this time for the parliamentary vice-presidents. Miguel Buen (PSE) and Rafael Larreina (EA) were elected after the first ballot with 33 and 32 votes each respectively with ten abstentions. Carmelo Barrio (PP) and Conchi Bilbao (EB) were chosed as first and second secretaries while PCTV candidate Maite Aranburu missed out.

Basque parliament: PNV refuse to replace Atutxa
Friday, May 20, 2005

PNV president Jon Josu Imaz insisted yesterday that they will not be replacing Juan María Atutxa as their candidate for the presidency of the Basque parliament. Mr Imaz was speaking after yesterday´s unsuccessful third ballot which resulted in a 33-33 draw between Mr Atutxa and the socailist candidate, Miguel Buen.

Mr Imaz said that the PNV, which won more seats than any other party at the regional elections on the 17th April, has the "right to put forward" any candidate they choose, and said they would not accept what they describe as a personal "veto" of Mr Atutxa´s candidacy by the PSE and the communist PCTV-EHAK parties.

With respect to the possibility that Mr Atutxa might take a personal decision to withdraw from the election, Mr Imaz said that he would ask him not to for the sake of "political dignity."

The inability of the Basque parliament to elect a president means that civil servants cannot be paid as their pay cheques, which are normally sent out on the 20th of each month, have to be signed by the president. Legal experts are trying to find a solution to the dilemna because without civil servants the Basque parliament runs the risk of grinding to a complete halt. 

Third Basque parliamentary election ends in draw
Thursday, May 19, 2005

PNV candidate Juan María Atutxa decided not to stand down and the Basque parliament have failed to elect a new president for the third time in four days. The result of this morning´s three ballots once again gave 33 votes each to Mr Atutxa and the socialist candidate, Miguel Buen, with nine abstentions from the communist PCTV-EHAK MPs. The session was suspended until 12 noon on Monday when a fourth ballot will be held. Basque MPs also have to elect two parliamentary vice-presidents before they can begin the regional government presidency debate and election.

Atutxa considers withdrawing from Basque parliament election
Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Juan María Atutxa (PNV) is thinking about withdrawing from the Basque parliamentary president election, but will not be giving up politics. The opposition´s rejection of his candidacy has resulted in two days of voting ending in a 33-33 draw between Mr Atutxa and socialist candidate Miguel Buen, with the nine communist PCTV-EHAK MPs abstaining.

The replacement of Mr Atutxa with a more acceptable candidate is likely to result in communist support, and may prompt the PSE to withdraw their own candidate. It is rumoured that the PNV have been considering a number of female candidates, including Idoia Zenarruzabeitia and Elixabete Piñol, although Genma González de Txabarri seems to be emerging as the front runner.

`Groundhog Day´ in Basque parliament
Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Juan María Atutxa (PNV) and Miguel Buen (PSE) remain tied on 33 votes following today´s failed attempt to elect a new president of the Basque parliament.

The nine communist PCTV-EHAK MPs abstained, but wrote "EAJ/ PNV" on their ballot sheets which is the only change from yesterday´s result and which indicates their willingness to support an alternative PNV candidate; following yesterday´s impasse, both the PCTV and the PSE offered the PNV a compromise on the condition that they replaced Mr Atutxa with another candidate, but the offer was rejected.

The communists bear a grudge against Mr Atutxa for anti-ETA measures carried out while he was regional Interior minister, and the socialists are unhappy with his performance during the previous parliament.

As it stands, Mr Atutxa has the backing of PNV, EA, Aralar, and Ezquer Batua MPs while Mr Buen is backed by the PSE and PP. A third ballot has been postponed until Thursday to allow more time for a compromise to be reached.  

Buen and Atutxa tied on 33 after third vote
Monday, May 16, 2005

Juan María Atutxa (PNV) and Miguel Buen (PSE) have tied on 33 votes after the third and final round of elections to choose a new president of the Basque parliament. The nine PCTV-EHAK MPs abtained in all three rounds, and PSE and PP MPs voted together against Mr Atutxa. The session has now been suspended until tomorrow when their will be a new ballot. In the first round of voting, Mr Buen got 33 votes, one more than Atutxa, with ten abstentions, but at that stage 38 votes were needed to give him an absolute majority. In rounds two and three there were nine abstentions and 33 votes for each candidate.

Basque parliament reconvenes to elect new president
Monday, May 16, 2005

The eighth legislative term of the Basque parliament in Vitoria reconvenes today with the election of a new parliamentary president at the top of the agenda. The only candidate named so far is acting president Juan María Atutxa (PNV nationalist party), but his candidacy will be vetoed by the PSE, PP, and the PCTV-EHAK. Of the 75 available votes, Atutxa, who needs an absolute majority, can only be certain of the 29 votes of PNV and Aralar MPs. It appears that both the PSE and PP will be presenting candidates, but have not announced more details.

If none of the candidates achieve the absolute majority needed after the first round of voting -secret ballot-, there will be a second vote for the two most voted candidates in the previous round. If there is no clear winner after the second round, there will be a third vote, and the winner of that will be nominated president even if the candidate does not achieve an absolute majority.

The nine communist PCTV-EHAK MPs may hold the key to the election because if they abstain, the second round may well end in in a draw, which would mean the election would have to be suspended while further negotiations take place behind the scenes.