Bet on agreeing on the reform of the RGI and the laws of Health, Education and Energy Transition l EH Bildu has agreed on the educational bases, but keeps its swords raised with Tapia
The energy crisis and price escalation for the war in Ukraine will set the pace for all governments in the new political course. Guaranteeing the purchasing power of families and economic activity is a priority for the Basque Government in a complicated time of social unrest, which will be a stress test for all institutions. Given the risk of attrition, the Executive of Urkullu will try to alleviate the feeling of uncertainty in Basque society and offer an image of stability not only through the measures that can be promoted, but also by shielding the climate of agreements and without political tension, an agreement that has already become a hallmark of the autonomous community. The difference now lies in the fact that an electoral cycle is approaching, with the municipal and regional elections in May and other appointments in the State, which could strain relations or harden the opposition’s discourse. Lehendakaritza sources consulted by this newspaper maintain their commitment to forging four country pactsalthough they clarify that it not only depends on them, but also on the attitude of the opposition groups.
The Government intends to obtain support beyond the absolute majority that have guaranteed PNV and PSE. But some debates are at an incipient point and the opposition has not been defined. Specifically, the aim is to agree on the laws of the Basque Income Guarantee System and for Inclusion (the reform of the RGI), Education, Public Health and Energy Transition
The debates that are most advanced are those of the reform of the RGI and education. For its part, in the case of the energy transition, the procedures are at a very preliminary stage and there has been no option to go too far into flour. Above all, at a political level, the position that EH Bildu can assume is unknown. Although it has made a turnaround by opening itself to agreements with the Government in the Budgets and the educational bases, it has maintained a very critical speech with the counselor Arantxa Tapia, to which a few days ago he pointed out for having received Sánchez’s energy saving plan with skepticism in the face of the possibility that Russia cuts off the gas tap. This law, in any case, is a debate prior to the war in Ukraine and has to do with climate change, although the possible cut in gas supply contributes to accelerating the discussion on alternative energies.
The PNV, for its part, has on occasion summoned EH Bildu to define what could be the alternative source of energy to facilitate the agreements, because it believes that it limits itself to rejecting any option with its objections to the installation of wind farms in certain areas, which would add to his opposition to nuclear, gas exploration and fossil fuels.
However, last May, Maddalen Iriarte revealed contacts about this debate and, a few days ago, at the start of the political courseEH Bildu raised the possibility of forging a Basque agreement on the energy, which shows that it will be one of its flags in the current exercise, waiting to clarify if there will be an agreement or if it will be an argument to mark distances within the struggle for hegemony between PNV and EH Bildu in the municipal and local . The abertzale coalition proposes an agreement based on promoting a public energy sector, and betting on renewables. Tapia’s law is in the draft phase, it proposes working with companies to reduce gas emissions, and supports innovation.
possible deals
Leaving aside the sectoral laws that have already been approved by a broad consensus in Parliament, the only pact of the country that has seen the light for now is the agreement on the educational bases, which in turn the Minister Jokin Bildarratz will use as a guide to draft a first draft of the Education Law in September.
The bases have been agreed between PNV, EH Bildu, PSE and Elkarrekin Podemos-IU; They combat segregation, put conditions on the concerted school to continue receiving public money and propose Basque as the backbone. Although tensions have arisen when it comes to shaping actions such as the center planning decree, the counselor has promised to be faithful to what was agreed. It does not seem that the train is going to derail due to the EH Bildu wagon, which maintains its commitment to consensus on this matter, but that the greatest tensions come from the Podemos flank.
As for the reform of the RGI, the second vice lehendakari, the socialist Idoia Mendia, has made contacts with all the parties and hopes that Parliament will approve the law this year with a broad consensus. The biggest options seem to focus on EH Bildu and Elkarrekin Podemos-IU, and not on a PP and Vox who appealed to the Constitutional Court for the transfer of the IMV and stir up the speech of aid fraud. Bildu has encouraged the agreement although it is critical that, for example, registration requirements are only eased in some groups.
Refering to health law of the counselor Sagardui, who intends to integrate health into all policies, Elkarrekin Podemos-IU had positioned himself months ago as a possible ally after agreeing on the Anti-pandemic Law, but the relationship has experienced ups and downs. This group did support the Equality and Youth laws. he
PNV-PSE ratio
MENDIA CLOSES RANKS WITH URKULLU. The second deputy lehendakari and Minister of Employment and Labour, the socialist Idoia Mendia, contributed yesterday to offering an image of harmony between the PNV and the PSE by returning the gesture to the lehendakari, who had rated his relationship with the PSE councilors within 10 of the Basque Government. She confirmed that she is “very satisfied & rdquor; with the agreement, an analysis that was extended to the rest of the institutions where they govern in coalition. Mendia made her assessment in an act to present a job inclusion plan for Sestao, although she wanted to clarify that she prefers that the citizens put the notes. He told Urkullu that he thanks him “a lot & rdquor; her assessment, and she considered that the key is that this government is “focused on what is important in times of swell & rdquor ;, and that it is a” strong and stable & rdquor ; cabinet. She considered that the agreement is giving “good results in all the institutions & rdquor ;.
THE LEHENDAKARI’S NOTE. Iñigo Urkullu had said that he gives a 10 to the relationship with the PSE advisers, and an 8 to the relationship with the socialist party itself due to the “sparks & rdquor; that have emerged in recent months, in reference to some statements by Eneko Andueza.