Juan José Ibarretxe

Juan Jose Ibarretxe
Lehendakari of the Basque Country
In office
2 January 1999 – 7 May 2009
Vice PresidentIdoia Zenerrutzabeitia Beldarrain
Preceded byJosé Antonio Ardanza
Succeeded byPatxi López
Deputy Lehendakari of the Basque Country
In office
4 January 1995 – 2 January 1999
PresidentJosé Antonio Ardanza
Preceded byJon Imanol Azúa
Succeeded byIdoia Zenerrutzabeitia Beldarrain
Personal details
Born
Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu

(1957-05-15) 15 May 1957 (age 67)
Llodio, Álava, Spain
Political partyPNV
SpouseBegoña Arregui

Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu (born 15 March 1957)[1] is a former president of the Basque Autonomous Community in Spain.[2] Also a leading member of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) during the period, he held office from 2 January 1999 to 7 May 2009. Ibarretxe is an advocate of Basque independence by peaceful means.[2]

Origins and early political career

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Ibarretxe (middle) at an event in San Sebastián

He was born in Llodio in the province of Álava, and holds a degree in Economics from the University of the Basque Country. In 1983 he was elected a member of the Basque Parliament for Álava, representing the PNV, and from then on rose steadily to prominence. From 1986-1990 and 1991-1994 he was the President of the PNV Economic and Budgetary Commission. On 4 January 1995, then Basque President José Antonio Ardanza appointed him Vice President.

Lehendakari

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On 28 March 1998, he was nominated PNV presidential candidate to compete in the October 25 Basque election, and became lehendakari (president) on 2 January 1999. In October 2003 he released the highly controversial Ibarretxe Plan (Plan Ibarretxe), which foresaw a future Basque country freely associated with Spain, with its own separate legal system and European Union (EU) representation.[citation needed] In October 2007 while in office he was prosecuted for holding talks with other political agents in search for a compromise leading to peace, considered illegal by the judge for the participation of former members of Batasuna.[3]

Private life and hobbies

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Ibarretxe grew up speaking only Spanish, but now speaks Basque acceptably and English. He is an avid cycling fan and has presided over a cycling club in Llodio. He is married and has two children. He is a non-practising Roman Catholic.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ IBARRETXE MARKUARTU Juan José International Who's Who. accessed 1 September 2006.
  2. ^ a b Wilkinson, Tracy (23 March 2006). "Basque Separatist Group Ends Four-Decade War With Spain". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 May 2018.[dead link]
  3. ^ Bidaurrazaga, Aitor Guenaga (2007-10-30). "Ibarretxe, López y Otegi, al banquillo". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
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Preceded by Lehendakari (Basque President)
1999-2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Lehendakari (Deputy Basque President)
1995-1999
Succeeded by