Vitoria (EFE) a historic triumph.
The Abertzale coalition, despite having led a large part of the campaign for the inclusion of exetarras in its lists, has obtained more councilors in all of Euskadi than the PNV, and has been the clear winner of these elections, while the PSE has regressed slightly, the PP has strengthened and Elkarrekin Podemos has waned.
The main turnaround has occurred in the Álava capital, where EH Bildu has become the first force and has relegated the PNV to the fourth, although if the PNV-PSE pact were repeated, the mayor’s office could be socialist.
In Bilbao and San Sebastián, the PNV continues to be the most voted but in these two capitals it has ceded councilors to the benefit of Bildu, although in both it could govern with the PSE.
General Meetings
In the General Meetings of Gipuzkoa, the Abertzale coalition has won five attorneys and has become the leading political force, while the PNV has lost three attorneys, although we will have to wait for the pacts to see who is deputy general
Only in Bizkaia would the possible PNV-PSE pact be enough to govern with an absolute majority. In Gipuzkoa and Álava they would have a majority, but not an absolute one.
The strong setback of the PNV has occurred after three legislatures in which it has gained power to govern comfortably in the three general meetings and in the capitals, except in Vitoria where in this past legislature it was in the absence of a mayor for an absolute majority.
Otegi: “Magical night”
The president of the PNV, Andoni Ortuzar, has recognized these poor results that he has attributed to low participation, since abstention has touched 40%, compared to 34% in 2019.
EH Bildu, on the other hand, is the clear winner of the elections in Euskadi. Criticism from parties such as PP and Vox for the 44 candidates convicted of terrorism from their lists and the exclusion three days ago of one of them, Sara Majarenas from ETA, as she was still disabled, have not made a dent in this formation.
Quite the contrary, Bildu has also been able to make profitable in Euskadi its pacts with the socialist government in Madrid.
The general coordinator of EH Bildu, Arnaldo Otegi, appeared euphoric and celebrated this “magical night” for his formation, which, according to what he has said, has become the “first political and municipalist force” in Euskal Herria and has given the ” first step” for “a change of cycle” thanks to its best numbers in all electoral cycles.
PSE: “Upward trend”
The Socialists have lost representation in the city councils, but unlike their partner, the PNV, they have fared better at the polls. In the capitals they have maintained their representation and in the provincial parliaments they have lost one representative in Álava and two in Gipuzkoa, while they have preserved their 8 junteros in Bizkaia.
The general secretary of the PSE, Eneko Andueza, has been satisfied with the results and has valued its “upward trend” in certain municipalities where it will be “more decisive than ever” in the governance of the institutions.
For the popular Basques these have been good elections since they have won a councilor in Vitoria and have remained in San Sebastián. The Boards have also been strengthened with a new attorney in Álava and Gipuzkoa and have kept the two they had in Bizkaia.
PP: Recovery
The president of the Basque PP, Carlos Iturgaiz, has highlighted that these data “confirm” the recovery of the party in Euskadi and has described the victory of EH Bildu as “bad news”, but has stressed that if it depends on the support of his party, “it will not there will be no mayors or general deputies” of that coalition.
Elkarrekin Podemos for his part has fallen in all the institutions except in Bilbao where he has won a councilor. In the whole of Euskadi they have relinquished power and have been left with 46 councilors, after a significant drop in 2019 “due to internal crises”, as the purples recognized then.
The general coordinator of Podemos Euskadi, Pilar Garrido, has admitted that these results are not what they would have liked and has attributed them to the polarization in the campaign between the PNV and EH Bildu.
Now it remains to be seen how these results translate into the institutions where the PNV-PSE pact is no longer sufficient -the mayoralties are elected on June 17- and what reflection they could have in the general elections in December and in the regional elections that will be held before next summer.