Lehendakari to attend Davos Forum, strengthening the Basque Country's international profile
In the press conference following the first cabinet meeting of 2026, government spokesperson Maria Ubarretxena announced that the President of the Basque Government, the Lehendakari Imanol Pradales, will participate in the World Economic Forum for the first time, at Davos, Switzerland on 20, 21 and 22 January.
Davos is the most important independent international economic and business forum. Every year, it brings together prominent world leaders from politics, business, and culture and is celebrating its 56th edition this year under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”. Some 2,500 to 3,000 participants will be in attendance from almost 130 countries.
As Ms. Ubarretxena said, "Attending the Davos World Economic Forum" is an exceptional opportunity for our country, with questions discussed that affect us directly. Global economic governance, sustainability, economic transformation and social cohesion are all subjects on the agenda at Davos."
Davos has always been associated with recognized states, but recent years have seen a growing presence for stateless nations such as the Basque Country due to their direct powers in areas like political, economic and industrial development; the energy transition; innovation and talent attraction policies; social cohesion and territorial resilience.
The trip responds to an objective that the, "President of the Basque Government, Imanol Pradales has always advocated, that of being at all the panels and forums where decisions relevant to the Basque Country are made. The Lehendakari will head up the Basque delegation to promote the Basque Country as a reliable, competitive territory aligned with major international consensus; he will defend the Basque Country's offer of a differentiated ‘stability premium’ on the global stage; its own tax system that guarantees legal certainty and long-term foreseeability for investors and companies, and other elements that position the Basque Country as a clearly distinguishable territory on the international stage. This differentiation in itself constitutes a competitive advantage when it comes to investment, talent and strategic projects, she explained.
Award and payment of financial assistance to women who are victims of gender-based violence
The Basque Government today gave the green light for the award and payment of financial assistance to women who are the victims of gender-based violence. This is a one-time financial assistance payment to women who have suffered gender-based violence to assist them with the process of becoming independent from their abuser and finding their feet again on an autonomous basis, helping them with necessary costs such as change of housing, rental deposits or debts arising from the violent situation.
The Basque Minister for Welfare, Youth and the Demographic Challenge, Nerea Melgosa, spoke of the importance of taking that first step and asking for help, emphasising how "reporting and talking allows you to access protection and support," while at the same time availing of specialised resources to support women "form the very first minute".
In recent years, we have seen a significant volume of supports processed:
- 2022: 459 applications processed (including 42 pending files from 2021), 255 granted; annual cost: €1,598,128
- 2023: 667 applications (including 76 pending from 2022), 385 granted; annual cost: €2,341,440
- 2024: 609 applications (including 76 pending from 2023), 364 granted; annual cost: €2,259,180
The Department of Welfare, Youth and the Demographic Challenge reminds all that the Specialised Information and Support Service for Women who are Victims of Domestic or Gender-based Violence (SATEVI) is available by telephone on 900 840 111, staffed by specialist professionals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The service is immediate, anonymous, confidential and free and is not traceable on telephone bills.
