Iñigo Urkullu
Íñigo Urkullu Renteria (born 18 September 1961) is a Spanish politician, and the Lehendakari (President) of the Basque Government since 2012.[1][2]
Íñigo Urkullu | |
|---|---|
Urkullu in December 2019 | |
| Lehendakari of the Basque Government | |
| Assumed office 15 December 2012 | |
| Monarchs | Juan Carlos I (2012–2014) Felipe VI (2014–present) |
| Vice Lehendakari | Josu Erkoreka (First) Idoia Mendia (Second) |
| Preceded by | Patxi López |
| Chairman of the Basque Nationalist Party | |
| In office 18 January 2008 – 12 January 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Josu Jon Imaz |
| Succeeded by | Andoni Ortuzar |
| Member of the Basque Parliament | |
| In office 1984–1987 | |
| In office 1994–2005 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 September 1961 Alonsotegi, Basque Country, Spain |
| Political party | Basque Nationalist Party |
| Residence | Ajuria Enea |
| Alma mater | University of Deusto |
| Profession | Teacher |
As the President of the Basque Government, he headed the First, Second and Third Urkullu Governments of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain).
Biography
Urkullu graduated in teaching, specialized in Basque language, from the University of Deusto. He was a secondary school teacher at Asti-Leku Ikastola school.
Political career
He was the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) chairman[3] from 2008 to 2013 when he was succeeded by Andoni Ortuzar, since the party's rules do not allow a Lehendakari to be the party's chairman at the same time.
He was the Biscay leader of the party from 2004 to 2008 and has been a member since 1996. He was the director of the Department for Youth and Social Services of the Biscay Foral Government (Diputación Foral de Bizkaia) from 1987 to 1994 and served in the Basque Parliament from 1984 to 1987 and from 1994 to 2005 (during the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th sittings of the parliament).
Amid the 2017-18 Spanish constitutional crisis, Urkullu tried to mediate between the Spanish and Catalan governments to avoid the declaration of independence and the application of Article 155, but these attempts failed. He declared as a witness in the Trial of Catalonia independence leaders on 28 February 2019.[4][5]
He resides in Ajuria Enea, the official residence of the president of the Basque Government.
References
- ^ "Íñigo Urkullu ha sido reelegido presidente del PNV". RTVE.es (in Spanish). January 15, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
- ^ "Íñigo Urkullu: "En ausencia de violencia hay que dejar paso a la política"". El Imparcial (in Spanish). June 26, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
- ^ Cambio 16. Información y Revistas, S.A. January 1, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
- ^ Pozas, Alberto (February 27, 2019). "De Mariano Rajoy a Iñigo Urkullu: qué tiene que contar cada testigo". Cadena SER (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
- ^ . El Plural (in Spanish). February 28, 2019. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.