The Basque Government has clear objectives and will continue to work with the will to achieve them, applying continuous improvement and without deviating from the principle of realism

• Focusing efforts on improving public services, quality employment and housing policies, as well as fighting for equality between men and women
• The objectives for this new year also include the socio-economic progress of the Basque Country, investment in research and technological development and the commitment to the Atlantic Arc
• The President has advocated for a State model that responds to the current situation and the aspirations of the Basque Country, proposing a Constitutional Convention as a tool

After the usual meeting of the Basque Executive at the Miramar Palace, the President, Iñigo Urkullu, coinciding with the beginning of the academic year, reflected on what has been done and the challenges for the future, and assured that the Basque Government has clear objectives and will continue to work with the desire to achieve them, applying continuous improvement and without deviating from the principle of realism.

Clearly, as human beings we seek stability, and on that basis, the President remarked that it is the Government's objective to improve our quality of life a little more every day.

Along these lines, Urkullu first of all emphasised the need to continue working to improve services: Public Health, Safety, Social Services and Education. “We will work to improve it. We will continue to invest. Always applying the principle of realism. Without mortgaging our future. Because a false step can and will have consequences that we will all suffer. Rigour and seriousness, without taking a step backwards. It is and will remain our commitment. This is what we have also shared in this first Governing Council,” he pointed out.

Among the objectives for the new year, the President also highlighted the aspiration to exceed and consolidate the one million Social Security affiliates, continuing with the creation of quality employment. “We must ensure that our labour market offers good outlets for our young people. It is a challenge we have to face as a society. Good working conditions are the best social policy we can implement. The better they are, the easier it will be for them to emancipate themselves and build the future they want. Alone, as a couple or creating a family,” he said. On the one hand, the Basque Government advocates that the Basque Country should continue to be a favourable ecosystem for “people who dare to take the plunge and a place where companies can find the opportunities they need. Companies that invest, innovate and export.”

And on the other, Iñigo Urkullu has affirmed that the Government will continue its housing policy, intensifying the promotion of public housing and guaranteeing the subjective right; as well as fighting for real and effective equality between men and women “which, unfortunately, this summer we have seen that it is far from being consolidated, we will try to banish forever unacceptable behaviours that should never happen.”

The Basque Government has also shown its willingness to continue advancing in the socio-economic progress of the Basque Country “from the perspective of economic, environmental and social sustainability”, deepening the model of Sustainable Human Development, aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Goals. “Because we are also clear: there is no planet 'B' and our commitment must be clear in this regard,” Urkullu added.

At another point in his speech, the President stressed that the Government will continue to increase public investment in research and technological development, in line with the commitment of the Science, Technology and Innovation Plan 2030, “because this Government believes in quality science and will continue to promote it, creating the best conditions to promote our talent and attract talent from abroad”.

Together with all this, the Basque Executive maintains its commitment to the Atlantic Arc, “because the Basque Country cannot be left out of European decision-making”, and, therefore, it has once again called for joining forces for the effective constitution of the Atlantic macro-region.

At the end of his speech, the President took the opportunity to advocate, once again, for a State model that also responds to the current situation and the aspirations of the Basque Country. “A model that gives more entity and capacity to Basque institutions. To make it possible to make decisions from a closer, more local level, where there is greater knowledge of reality. This is included in our Government Program, in which we reaffirm our commitment to extend and improve the self-government of the Basque Country during the present legislature,” he stressed. He has raised, as he did 6 years ago, the need for a Constitutional Convention as a tool for political parties to talk about current debates within the framework of the Spanish Constitution.