In 1977 the Basque Country Kopa of Lekeitio was launched, a time of transition. At the time of the Republic, in 1931, the first Basque Wedding left the Batzoki. In 1964, the Euskadi Wedding Championship was also held in Lekeitio, in tribute to Resurrection Maria Azkue.

I think that for the PNV to succeed in its own reflections, its origin will be, the context of the creation of the party, the reason of the Batzokis, culture, the EUSKERA… essential tools to reconnect with society. History has always been fundamental and will always show us the way to the future. In this case, the action of the Batzoki de Lekeitio, with the representation of the Basque Marriage, unites the time of the republic with that of the transition. And by the time of transition, it's already been around for 45 years. Therefore, in the XXI the mandatory questions would be: Why? Why did the Basque Nationalist Party emerge in the 19th century?

Possibly, the rejection of politics and politics had already begun in EH some time ago. Not only between Batzoki and young people, but also between society in general and official politics. In addition, there has long been a beginning to be discontent between the political, economic and political powers, and the partners of the political parties, who really send. PNV, Socialist Party, Communist… They are political parties of yesteryear, based on the definition of “mass movements”, that is, many members, assemblies, and in the “theory” the decisions were made from the bottom up. But today political parties have long become “something else” due to other pressures and other models. Today, in theory, everything is promoted around “leaderships”. With marketing campaigns, money and certain economic powers lead the leadership of these new leaders, a clear example of this would be that of Citizens in the Spanish State.

But how do we reorganize the old reality into this new way of understanding reality or politics when political parties were born in the 19th century? What if those political and historical parties have already, albeit a little, been “Citizens” in recent years? This new system has supported a sort of policy of forging using marketing and framing, as when it is not about masters, languages (although it seems that for this new system Euskera is not fundamental) are mandatory in the new leaderships. It goes without saying that he has not opted for the collective to dedicate himself to politics today throughout his life. However, this reality has consequences in politics, because they confuse leadership with being “the greatest”, and they do not like reflection or critical opinion. Policy is being confused with the project of démarches. It is therefore not a matter of policy.

For example, when we have been in this long transition for 45 years, on behalf of the PNV, people who resign from the Basque Country are elected as counsellor. Not of course, on behalf of the party’s partners, but they are chosen with the economic power and consensus of the system.

The system drives us through a series of political prototypes. The master's degree yes, languages yes, but, above all, current politicians must be obedient to economic power. That's the important thing, obedience. Perhaps earlier, when the parties were based on the number of members and the assembly, the basis was obedience to the parties. But I think there's a big difference between the previous model and the current one. The first political parties were closer to society. Batzokis, village bars -- meetings, partners, everything was different. Power contacted society and, conversely, it did so through the parties at the beginning of the transition. But not today. Power makes direct contacts with the leaders of the political parties. Political parties do not need them, except when it comes to socialising any message. To do this, you have in your hands, banks, marketing… where and when you want to publish your messages.

And faced with this reality, what? Well, perhaps the important thing would be to recover history, culture and, above all, in the case of the PNV, the reason for its creation. Connecting batzokis, culture, the Basque Country, with local cuisine and all that, perhaps, is the solution to good politics. To this end, the proposal that begins in the Lekeitio Basque Wedding model. A proposal that begins in nationalism, in the Basque culture and with the Basque one, since the foundation is fundamental to carry out any proposal.

That is to say, free people, not those who have been signed (who must always be according to the fichaje), in which the culture, the Basque country and the history of the PNV converge. Where from their differences they are willing to work as a team and to work as a collective at any time in the face of problems. And not from the hierarchy, but from the will of oneself and from the will to participate, everything works.

The main transformation that a historical party such as the PNV can undergo in the twenty-first century would be to turn it into a space of reflection and critical opinion. And for this to happen, we have to work reflection and political culture on people who love culture, Euskera, history and politics.

Society must listen to society and its partners and partners to improve and fulfil their role in society. Because that is how we are going to begin to resolve this kind of imbalance and disconnection that exists between political parties and societies.

Finally, it would put an end to the courage or boldness that lehendakari Pradales has called on the new members. Because daring is necessary to promote any change and transformation of politics. Although otherwise, for example, the members of the Basque Country Jaia de Lekeitio, a few years ago, in the face of the ungentle heat and nervousness of the cows, had the opportunity to take the cart (with all its meaning).

Eneko Egibar Artola, veterinarian and political scientist