The parties face the final stretch of the campaign for the elections in the Basque Country next Sunday, in which nearly 1.8 million citizens are called to elect the representatives of the regional parliament that will designate the next Lendakari. The leaders of PNV, EH Bildu, PSOE, PP, Podemos, Sumar and Vox are trying to deliver to their potential tensions the package of proposals that they seek to implement before 2028, with the aim of tipping the balance in their favor, be the formation that holds the key to the autonomous government or obtain representation. In La Información we summarize the main economic measures that focus on addressing the housing problem, retaining young talent and transferring skills.
What does EH Bildu propose for the elections in the Basque Country?
The nationalist leftist party is trying to replace the PNV in the Basque Government with a program of more than 140 pages and with Pello Otxandiano as a candidate. Among other economic measures, EH Bildu proposes creating a direct support line to compensate farmers until they reach 1,400 euros – the measures they believe should be the minimum interprofessional wage in Euskadi – and bring their pensions to at least 1,080 euros gross. month. The nationalists also want to root companies in the territory through a system of incentives accompanied by dissuasive mechanisms for relocation (return of aid, conditional subsidies or regulation of land sales) and a sovereign fund for strategic investments with which to invest. . in strategic companies.
The party that has been especially critical of the Ministry of Labor for setting the objective for reducing the working day at 37.5 hours and not 35 or 32 also advocates progress in this matter in the autonomous community with a statute for the Basque worker that promote collective bargaining. Likewise, they seek to protect local commerce with the introduction of a commercial rental price index with sanctions for owners who set higher prices; oppose stores opening on holidays and raise taxes on online sales companies. EH Bildu also proposes creating tourist areas in which there are restrictions on hospitality and housing, as well as creating 15,000 positions for civil servants until 2028.
The PNV proposals for Euskadi
The list headed by Imanol Pradales has presented a 78-page program in which the PNV details the package of measures with which it seeks to revalidate itself as head of Ajuria Enea. The Basque nationalists advocate creating a line of guarantees to cover the deposits for rental contracts and a second for the purchase, which would cover the percentage corresponding to the down payment on the home so that young people can finance 100% of the price of the home. the residence. They also set the goal of allocating 7,000 homes to social rental until 2030 and raising the income limit to 30,000 euros to access the rental aid program (Gaztelagun).
The ‘jetzals’ also propose extending maternity and paternity leave to 24 weeks, which would mean an improvement of two months compared to current regulations at the national level. The Government of Pedro Sánchez has committed to extending it to 20 weeks, although with flexibility measures and not adding weeks of sick leave as such, however, the pact closed with Sumar has not yet been finalized in law. The PNV also wants to extend the aid of 200 euros per dependent child, which is now received until the child turns 3 years old, to raise it to 7 years and 10, in the case of large and single-parent families.
The electoral program of the PSOE (PSE-EE) in the Basque Country
Everything indicates that the socialists will once again act as a hinge to decide who will lead the Basque executive. The PSE aspires not to lose representation in next Sunday’s comics, with 140 pages of program and a list headed by Eneko Andueza. The party is committed to fighting for the full development of the Gernika Statute with the transfer of powers such as the economic management of Social Security, the agreement reached by PSOE and PNV to invest Sánchez. This party also highlights the problem of access to housing in certain areas, commits to applying the Housing Law approved in May and prioritizing single-parent families and young couples in policies in this area.
In terms of employment, the objective is to put an end to ageism, to develop programs aimed at long-term unemployed people, young people, women and those over 45 years of age; expand the beneficiary groups of the relief contract and integrate some benefits as a negative tax (pension supplements, child benefits or employment incentives). The PSOE also advocates rewarding companies that create good jobs and designing a program to make hours more flexible in the private sector, in order to allow work and family conciliation.
What measures does the PP propose in the Basque Country?
The popular ones, with Javier de Andrés at the head of the candidacy, concentrate on just over 100 pages the package with which they seek to change Euskadi measures despite the fact that their options for governing are almost zero, according to the latest polls. The PP wants to lead the tax reform to stimulate economic activity and automatically deflate personal income tax to alleviate the loss of purchasing power by citizens; In this sense, they also propose raising the exempt minimum to the SMI as the national government has done for the corresponding rate.
The party undertakes not to create any new taxes throughout the legislature and to eliminate inheritance and estate taxes, improve deductions for dependent children and large families, and approve tax measures to encourage renting – aimed at owners and tenants. In terms of housing, it focuses on illegal occupation and undertakes to return IBI, water and garbage taxes for the period in which it occurred. Likewise, the popular ones want to launch a two-year free quota for self-employed people under 30 or over 55 who open a business, offer a 50% bonus for hiring the first employee and 40% for ‘signings’ to cover sick leave. . . And raise the minimum age to access the income guarantee income (RGI) to 23 years to promote employment.
These are the proposals of Elkarrekin Podemos
The ‘purples’ attend these elections with Miren Gorrotxategi as the head of the list to defend a 280-page program in which they focus on stopping the rise in housing prices and public control of sectors such as energy. Those of Elkarrekin Podemos are committed to applying the Housing Law, increasing the housing stock destined for affordable rental by 25% and ending silent evictions – the abandonment of residences due to abusive rent increases. It also proposes prohibiting the creation of tourist housing in stressed areas, giving up land for 75 years for private rental housing developments and eliminating deductions for purchasing a home.
In turn, this training proposes ending the contributions of civil servants to Voluntary Social Security Entities (EPSV) and the deductions for contributing to private pension plans. Elkarrekin Podemos also wants to raise the minimum wage to 1,400 euros in this territory in a maximum of four years, ensure that the minimum pension is 1,080 euros and establish the maximum working day at 34 hours a week progressively – employers and unions are currently studying how to take it to 38.5 hours in 2024 and 37.5 hours in 2025-. The purple ones seek to create a public energy company and regulate large power plants.
Sumar’s electoral program for the Basque Country
Alba García stars in Sumar’s candidacy for the elections in the Basque Country, with a program of more than 180 pages with which they try to obtain representation in the Basque assembly. Yolanda Díaz’s training focuses on improving the working conditions of health professionals, reducing working hours and access to housing. In the document they commit to promoting the rental of empty housing and incorporating 2,000 rental accommodations for young people, as well as applying the Housing Law to limit the price of rentals. In addition, they seek to promote an agreement at the social dialogue table to establish the maximum working day at 32 hours per week and bring it to public contracts.
Sumar also focuses on the green transition, for which it proposes a battery of measures aimed at energy generation and emissions reduction. This party proposes unifying all public transport tickets to move towards making them free throughout the Basque Country, while committing to reduce waiting times between transfers. The formation advocates creating a commuter train that connects Miranda de Ebro, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Altsasu with several urban stops.
What does Vox propose for the elections in the Basque Country?
Vox faces the challenge of maintaining the scandal it currently has in the Basque parliament with Amaia Martínez as a candidate with a series of measures condensed into 36 pages. The far-right party promises a “radical lowering” of taxes and reducing ineffective political spending, combating illegal occupation and facilitating access to affordable housing by capturing 70,000 empty homes. Santiago Abascal’s party also sets itself the task of protecting the industry and specifically, companies in the automobile sector and their employment, reducing all income tax brackets, subsidizing donation and inheritance taxes, defending the interests of local producers non-EU assets and boost birth rates with tax incentives and housing aid linked to having children.
