The polls predict in the next Basque regional and municipal elections, scheduled for May 2023, one of the closest results in history. Hence, although there is still a year to go before the appointment with the polls, the nationalist parties take advantage of each act to make gestures to their electorate. The latest has come from the ranks of EH Bildu who wanted to make a splash by designating Iker Casanova, an old acquaintance of the nationalist left who served a sentence for belonging to ETA, candidate for the Biscay Provincial Council.
Casanova was one of those prosecuted in the macro-trial 18/98 against various organizations from the terrorist group’s environment, which resulted in 47 people being charged.
Among them was the now Bildu candidate, who at that time was one of the main people in charge of Ekin, an organization that was behind many of the calls in favor of ETA between 1999 and 2011. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
He was released from prison in 2011 and since then his political career has been meteoric. Three years later he became the substitute for Laura Mintegi, until then spokesperson for EH Bildu in the Basque Parliament. Since then he has held a seat in successive legislatures. In the latter he has been in charge of matters related to the economy and industrial development, and therefore, has been one of the main voices critical of the management of the Minister of Economic Development, Arantxa Tapia.
In a statement, the Political Table of EH Bildu has highlighted his “long political and institutional career”, completely ignoring his past close to the terrorist group. He assures that the now candidate has his “full confidence” because “he represents the social and urban profile that EH Bildu wants to promote in Vizcaya.” A few words that Casanova has welcomed. In a video posted on his Twitter account, he has described the appointment as “a political honor” that he welcomes with “enormous enthusiasm and hope.” “May the next regional elections be one more step towards progress in the construction of a Vizcaya with a much stronger left-wing sovereignty,” he added.
And it is that, it is a designation of special relevance in Basque politics. The Provincial Councils are in charge of putting fiscal policy into practice. Therefore, if Casanova were elected Deputy General, he too would have influence over the territory’s tax collection.
Actually, the appointment is not final yet. The process to present more candidacies will be open until June 5, and after that, it will be the bases of EH Bildu who have to endorse the proposal. However, it is unlikely that new applicants will appear after the statement issued by the management.