Overview

• The Basque Parliament has taken into consideration a PNV bill to entrench Basque-language requirements in public-sector hiring processes, backed by EH Bildu and opposed by the PSE.
• PNV and EH Bildu moved to shield language rules after recent court rulings questioned some local OPE requirements as excessive.
• PSE Gipuzkoa leader José Ignacio Asensio reproached PNV and EH Bildu for trying to “impose” Euskera for administrative posts and acknowledged the issue continues to divide his party.
• PSE secretary general Eneko Andueza warned that continued identity-driven agreements between PNV and EH Bildu could put the governing pact at risk and said the rift goes beyond one bill.
• Andueza further reduced expectations of sealing a Statute reform by June or securing new transfers such as airport management in the current climate.