The Basque Government defends Mendia’s jurisdiction over 8M

Vitoria (EFE).- The Basque Government defends the competence of the Vice-Hendakari and Employment Minister, Idoia Mendia, to propose that next year 8M be a labor holiday, an idea that has been received with reluctance in the Feminist Movement.

Within the Executive of which Mendia is a part, the spokesman for the Basque Government, Bingen Zupiria, has said that he does not see the idea of ​​the vice-hendakari as “hasty”.

He has defended that Mendia made a proposal within the scope of his powers, such as the preparation of the work calendar, “as he does every year.”

Now a period of “consultations and contrasts” will be opened to approve it. The Basque Government usually gives the green light to the annual work calendar in the first semester of the previous year, so that of 2024 will foreseeably be approved by the Governing Council before the summer.

Emakunde asked for prior reflection

Mendia’s idea was already questioned yesterday by the director of the Basque Institute for Women-Emakunde, Miren Elgarresta, because a “prior reflection” should have been done before launching this proposal.

In his opinion, he had to count on, in addition to Emakunde, the Feminist Movement to evaluate the pros and cons.

Precisely from the Feminist Movement the idea of ​​Mendia has also been received with reluctance. Bilgune Feminista has opined that this decision “does not take into account the agenda” of this movement. They believe that it is a “superficial” proposal because what they are demanding are “structural changes” in policies.

From the parties, Mendia has received the “unwavering” support of the general secretary of his party, the PSE-EE, Eneko Andueza.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with the person leading that department making the proposal. If someone is against March 8 being a holiday, let them come out and say so publicly,” Andueza challenged.

Together: Mendia se vino arriba

On the other hand, the spokesperson for Elkarrekin Podemos in Parliament, Miren Gorrotxategi, has expressed her doubts about the advisability of making March 8 a holiday. She has considered that the vicelehendakari “came up” by setting that date.

Gorrotxategi recalled that his group has registered an initiative in the Basque Chamber, which will be debated next Thursday. In it, she plans to establish a holiday related to a feminist anniversary.

March 8 is “very important”, Gorrotxategi has indicated, who sees it as “difficult to reconcile the struggle inherent” to that day with it being a holiday. He considers that, in any case, who has to decide “is the Feminist Movement” with the support of Emakunde.

The spokeswoman for Elkarrekin Podemos has indicated that Mendia “came up” perhaps seeing that the initiative registered by Podemos will arouse “a broad agreement between the groups.” For this reason, in her opinion, she thought that this date would be appropriate. EFE