Imanol Pradales, the sixth lehendakari of the Basque Country
Imanol Pradales has been officially appointed as Lehendakari of the Basque Country after taking the oath of office in front of the Gernika Tree, a symbol of the region’s rights and freedoms. Pradales is the sixth lehendakari since the return of self-government with the Gernika Statute of 1979. He will take the testimony of Carlos Garaikoetxea, José Antonio Ardanza, Juan José Ibarretxe, Patxi López and his predecessor, Iñigo Urkullu. This ceremony marks a historic moment for the Basque Country and represents a new chapter in its governance.
A coalition Executive for the Basque Country
Imanol Pradales will preside over a coalition Executive formed by the Basque Christian Democrats and the Basque Socialist Party. This coalition will have an absolute majority in Parliament, as the two formations have a total of 39 seats. This will allow Pradales to govern with stability and make important decisions for the future of the region.
The oath and the ceremony
Pradales’ swearing-in ceremony was held in the House of Assembly of Gernika, with the presence of parliamentarians, the acting Government, ex-Lehendakaris and other guests. Pradales took the oath of office in Basque using a variant of the formula created by José Antonio Agirre in 1936. After the oath, Pradales received the ‘makila’, the traditional staff of Government, from the hands of his predecessor, Iñigo Urkullu.
The support and presence of personalities
The swearing-in ceremony of Pradales was attended by various personalities, such as the first vice-president of the Spanish government, María Jesús Montero, and other representatives of different autonomous communities. General deputies, mayors, the president of the Superior Court of Justice of the Basque Country and other authorities of the region have also attended. This ceremony was a moment of celebration and recognition for Pradales and for the entire Basque Country.
