Overview
- The Deustobarómetro, presented on Friday, found more than 80% of respondents oppose increasing Basque-language requirements to access public-sector jobs and 47.6% say there are already too many such demands.
- Survey respondents still back a staged expansion of Basque in the administration, with 45.9% favoring gradual universalization and 57.9% wanting Spanish and Basque treated equally in a way that respects local language conditions.
- A slim majority of 52.5% supports giving 'autochthonous' residents priority in redistributing public resources to prevent service collapse, a stance similar in language to recent regional pacts elsewhere in Spain.
- Voters distinguish legal status when it comes to immigrant rights: about 59% back universal health care and 53% support school access for all, while majorities would limit social benefits, social housing and voting to immigrants with legal papers.
- The poll lands as the Basque Parliament debates a PNV proposal to let administrations set language-profiled posts and the party needs at least EH Bildu's abstention to pass the reform, with recent controversies over PAU exam 'zeros' and EHU tribunal rulings adding legal and political pressure.