On 17 January, the date of 21 April was put on the table for the first time publicly. A month later we still know nothing, at least we have no confirmation (provided that the confirmation of 21 April is confirmed, the confirmation may come this week or, at most, next Monday).

If in the last week ETB disseminated information saying that last Friday was the last monitoring session of the legislature, it will be for something. You know something, or maybe you've got the requirement to warm up the tension. That is, 1) Sabin Etxea has confirmed him from the inner line and with the truth goes ahead giving him "light of mystery", or 2) on the networks those who are continually saying Teleberri=TeleBatzoki are very crooked and ETB is closer to TelePopular, and for the benefit of EH Bildu with the date is being pressured to the PNV.

Urkullu recognizes for the first time that he has the “thought” day. From there to being “determined” there are not too many steps, but it does not matter if I still do not clarify it. You would already be causing the concerns you are living “tell us, my...”, because acting does not work with Urkullu. Just like laughter is well hidden, it also keeps the secret in an armoured chamber. He's an old dog.

Otegi is also an old dog and there is an interesting test between them. The two leaders, with the permission of the Ortuzar, are playing on another plane, as if they were on the margin. That being said, they do not act for themselves, neither the Lehendakari cane, nor the advisory seat. But they compete more than that. And they're going to each other, as if they were little gestures. Otegui, for example, in Naiz Irratia we were able to listen with laughter. Zero bothers, a relative feels in front of microphones as the value of asking about the date of choice in family food: “It is enough for me to say this [it seems that the elections will be on 21 April] The Lehendakari will put another date (...) I do not understand the strategy of hiding the date; everyone knows for some time that they will be in the short term.” At the end of this sentence, the bar has begun to spread to the ears and has increased by some centimeter with: “A mystery is knowing why there is so much mystery with date.” A professional veteran politician, an old acquaintance, a handsome competitor, doing little bars and gestures. Wink wink, nudge nudge (in the attempt to return to the Basque: wink, quail, elbow elbow elbow elbow).

Agenda notes

In the case of elections held on 21 April, Urkullu will have to publish Parliament’s dissolution decree on 27 February. And, following the ordinary procedure, it should convene an extraordinary Governing Council a little earlier to notify the agreement "officially" to the other members. The deadline would be next Monday. A special government meeting, of which Urkullu is a fan, may be held on the weekend. And he's also famous for taking care of the tempos and avoiding leaks -- not like in Sabin Etxea, who escaped to them that they wouldn't introduce Urkullu again. It remains to be seen who and how the election date is officiated.

But before, this Monday morning, the leaders of the PNV and the PSE-EE meet with Urkullu in Ajuria Enea. According to Lehendakaritza’s press release, “to take stock of the legislature”. This is a half-hour meeting. I mean, they serve coffee and ask how the family and how carnivals are, and they actually spend 30 more minutes. Except to report that the election date is fixed...

Urkullu is at the last, strong and ironic

Both meetings were informed by the Presidency at the end of Friday’s plenary session, although the monitoring session took the tone of farewell. Starting from the rostrum of the House’s guests: there were the wives of Urkullu and Erkoreka, together, following the plenary. And all the parliamentarians who went through the altar talked about the idea that it was the last attempt at control. Ironically many: “Who knows, maybe it’s the last plenary,” said Nerea Kortajarena of EH Bildu, with a crooked head and a small laugh; and “Mr. lehendakari, can you see the electoral aroma, or what?” by Oihana Etxebarrieta. More philosophical Vox: “Everything has an expiry date, even your job.” Urkullu put the commenter ginda to the wave: “They have said so many times that it is running out... I will end up believing!”

The announcement of the election date and the dissolution of Parliament is soon expected, and the campaign is being strengthened at that time, when we said last week that the atmosphere cooled a little. Urkullu is not going to participate too much in the campaign, it is not expected to be quite in the front line, because the PNV has suggested “new strength” and change, but it will surely give some concrete blows, such as on Friday.

On Friday, Urkullu suggested to EH Bildu the same, although the sovereign coalition was left without time to respond, or Urkullu’s intention was to take advantage of it. “Speak clearly”, because the lehendakari to whom you addressed has made statements as “governing the most voted”, but in general he talked about the “principles” of the coalition. He gave them a review. Urkullu reproached EH Bildu to support the party that did not win the elections in Spain, to govern similarly in Pamplona, to support the budgets of the party that did not win the elections also in Vitoria and, in Bizkaia, to the party that was mayor of Durango without being the most voted (now in Durango, without being the most voted, they have made mayor of the PNV itself.

Urkullu made phrases like: “They only defend what is in their best interests,” and “decide who passes the broom and who does not, as with the violence strategy they once supported, who decided who was left and who did not.” This last sentence has not been so common in Urkullu’s short-term history; the comment seems a bit obsolete, too old for many voters, that in ETA’s last death only four years were the youngest who can vote today and, as you know, social conceptions vary quite short term. Perhaps, in other words, it seems that this is a pretension of change or discursive prediction, that Pradales will bring to institutional policy more contemporary debates.

Urkullu also placed on the table the comments of the last Sociometer, in which the percentage of people who feel as vasco-speakers and Spanish has increased considerably, and the desire for independence has decreased, and expressed them: “You have been demanding everything from everyone for many years, and now you have rejected your ideas for the benefit of electoral calculations.” He finished his speech with this phrase. In Parliament’s direct emission chamber it was not possible to see, but some, well heard, started to applaud very strongly. Soon he stayed, because he was too high or because he was alone. Hooldominisms like the Congress of Deputies in Spain are very rare in Vitoria.

A special way to fire Urkullu. It will not do the campaign, but it has left the way. The San Sebastian Old Part Health Center, which was premiered a few years ago, opened this week. In a few hours, but in Galicia, the Galician newspaper Nòs Diario has published the news: Xunta announces salary increases to public health workers performing guards, via SMS, two days before the elections. Increase of 8% in working shifts and slightly above 15% on Fridays to Monday.

Clearly, the mainstream point for the campaign is health. Let's wait to see what ad Pradales makes, or the PNV in general, linked to Osakidetza. You're sure to keep the letter under the hose. There are old dogs – still – in Sabin Etxea.

[Every Monday, and until the elections of the Gasteiz Parliament pass, ARGIA will publish the chronicles of the political week]