On 13 December last, the Charter of Social Rights called for "social, sovereign, participatory, feminist and environmental budgets" in the mobilisations held in the Basque capitals. The social and trade union organisations that make up the Charter denounced that "the parties that make up the Basque Government (PNV and PSE) were doing the project with their backs on the citizens, without any participation process".

Almost two months later, on Thursday, the draft budget came to the Basque Parliament, where the Charter of Social Rights states that it does not approve it, because it considers that it has taken no account of any of the seven demands made in December.

Among other demands, the Charter of Social Rights of Euskal Herria included a 35-hour working day, the distribution of work, a fairer distribution of wealth, a minimum wage of 1,200 euros, the pension system itself and a minimum pension of 1,080 euros.

"If the budgets were not enough to meet the social needs prior to the pandemic, the project for 2021 has gone even further, due to the health, economic and social crisis we are experiencing," they have denounced. "Budgets do not respond to citizens' priorities, which do not develop public services or recognise new social rights, nor does it take another step towards a system of public, universal and free surveillance," he added.

Approved budgets

Finally, the Basque Parliament has approved the budgets with the majority of PNV and PSE, and has not adopted any of the 1,289 partial amendments tabled by the other groups. All opposition parties have refused to account.