Basque Government

Basque Government
Eusko Jaurlaritza Gobierno Vasco
Overview
Established	Consejo General Vasco (1978-80) Gobierno de Euzkadi (1936-79)
Polity	Basque Country
Leader	Lehendakari
Appointed by	King of Spain
Responsible to	Basque Parliament
Annual budget	€11.75 billion (2020)
Headquarters	Vitoria-Gasteiz
Website	www.euskadi.eus

The Basque Government (Basque: Eusko Jaurlaritza, Spanish: Gobierno Vasco) is the governing body of the Basque Autonomous Community of Spain. The head of the Basque government is known as the Lehendakari. The Lehendakari is appointed by the Basque Parliament every four years, after a regional election. Its headquarters are located in the Lakua district of Vitoria-Gasteiz in Álava.

The first Basque Government was created after the approval of the first Basque Statute of Autonomy on 1 October 1936, in the midst of the Spanish Civil War. It was headed by José Antonio Aguirre (EAJ-PNV) and was supported by a coalition of all the parties that fought the Nationalist forces in the Civil War: those comprising the Popular Front (PSOE, PCE, EAE-ANV and other parties that sided with the Second Spanish Republic). After the defeat of the Republic, the Basque Government survived in exile, chaired by Jesús María Leizaola after the death of Aguirre in 1960. This first Basque Government was formally disbanded after the approval of the current Statute of Autonomy in 1979, after the death of caudillo Francisco Franco.

Upon approval of the new Statute, the new Basque Government was created (1980), superseding the Basque General Council. Carlos Garaikoetxea was the first lehendakari of the new Government.