The structures of the Pau General Council will be renewed after the votes. The new structure of the regions – regions – will entail changes in the departments. There will be changes in the competences of both structures, which are being developed in accordance with the NOTRe law, but are not exactly known. Social aid, infrastructure and education could be disrupted to the detriment of the department.

Biarno and Iparralde are in the department of Atlantic Pyrenees. The 2015 budget amounts to EUR 803 million, which has been approved by the last Governing Council. The current president, Georges Labazée (PS), has not come forward. He is the first socialist president of the department. In these elections, there are 143 candidates for the presidency of the government, of whom 108 are new, 76 are Basque. So far, only eight women have been elected by the General Council. From now on, 27 women and 27 men will occupy the seats of the Pau General Council, also known as the Parliament of Navarra.

Nominations of parties

For the first time in history, the HP has become the department's main political force in the recently concluded legislature. However, the PS’s current voting lists do not include the Bearnesa Georges Labazée, Cardinal Frantxoa Maitia, or the Mayor of Atharratze Arnaud Villeneuve. Kotte Ecenarro, vice president of the department and mayor of Hendaia, has emerged as a new leader. Chantal has appeared in the Hendaia constituency alongside Kehrir. The couples of Donibane Lohizune Jean Henri Aguerretche-Julie Bergara, Henri Etcheto-Marie Chistine Aragon and Juliette Brocard-Christophe Martin are other great figures in the history of the Baiona Socialist Party. The CSP has reached an agreement with Europe Ecologie Les Verts in lists of some cantons, including Baiona and Bidaxune-Amikuze-Oztibar, among others.

The right and the central parties want to regain the power of the department they have historically managed. The UMP and the Force64 have come together to take this step to the new Abertzale left party. Former centrist President Jacques Laserre has reappeared in the canton of Bidaxune-Amikuze-Oztibarre, together with Anne Marie Bruth. In Biarritz, Max Brisson and Maider Arostegui are the main candidates to occupy the bullring. In San Juan de Luz there are two couples in the name of the right: The best known is Isabelle Dubarbier, the axuanta of Ziburu. The Mayor of Angelu, Claude Olive, is the candidate of the number 1 canton of Baiona. Other names known in the rural or rural world are: In this week’s programme we will see Beñat Inchauspe Hazparnen, Vicente Bru Uztaritze and Pepela Mirande in Zuberoa.

The motto of the Basque candidacy Euskal Herria Bai (EH Bai) has lived, worked and decided in Euskal Herria. It claims the Territorial Collectivity and socioeconomic change. Its presentation in only twelve cantons in the north limits the number of votes obtained by the seats of the General Council. The pair made up of Bidaxune-Amikuze-Oztibar and Anita Lopepe-Xabi Larralde has been ranked for the final of the Cup. In San Juan de Luz, Peio Etcheverry-Ainciart and Leire Larrasa are the first candidates. Alain Iriart, the only Abertzale counselor in Pau, has been presented in the canton Errobi Aturri, whose partner is Fabienne Ayensa.

The PNV has been presented in four cantons. Jean-Michel Iribarne and Itxaro Bethart in Uztaritze-Errobi. Francis Gellie and Nicole Terunad in Urdax. Gaxuxa Elhorga and Jean Pierre Etcheverry will be active in San Juan de Luz. In that of Hendaia, Jean Tellechea and Itziar Aizpuru have been classified for Hendaia. The main objective of the Jeltzales is to reach the citizens of Bilbao. With you here! They have the slogan of the campaign.

On both sides of the candidatures of these parties or movements are the National Front (FN) and the Left Front, both at the extremes. Despite not being present in all the cantons, Le Pen's lists could come as some surprise. The Left Front, for its part, has a broad membership in the area of Hendaia and Baiona.

Returned environment

Let us ratify the peculiarities of these elections: a reduction in the number of electoral cantons or constituencies and a parity of candidates. They could be the last votes in the departments. In the case of the Northern Basque Country, in anticipation of the disappearance of the Atlantic Pyrenees, some local political activities could be transferred from the Pau General Council to the Bordeaux General Council. At present, however, the new regional and departmental political powers are not known. That is why politicians have announced an electoral campaign in which various incidents have taken place. This situation is not the only concern for the political parties either. In the general elections of the Hexagon, abstention is on the rise, and in the elections to institutions closer to citizenship there is also the spectre of abstention.

In the main French institutions, the left is the one leading the PS: Both in the National Assembly, in the Elysée (President of François Hollande) and in Matignon (Prime Minister, Manuel Valls). The Aquitaine region is headed by Alain Rousset and the Aquitaine region of the department at stake, Georges Labazee. The President of the Atlantic Pyrenees himself said publicly that he sees it difficult for the Left to gain ground in the elections.

After the failure of the policy of the left, the return of the right is noted. The General Council has been more in the hands of the centre-right than the right, since the former head of the department, François Bayrou, was the main symbol. The alliance between the centre and the right facilitates the recovery of the leadership of the General Council. In addition, the results of the Fn will clarify the trend of right-wing voters and also show the trend of far-left results.

EH Bai and PNV have been hopeful in the pre-campaign. The PNV has been presented in its own name, and that will give the true dimension of its capacity. EH Bai, for its part, has focused the campaign on the new time of Euskal Herria. In the words of candidate Alain Iriart, EH Bai will rise in all counties.

The campaign starts on 9 March. The political environment on the threshold of long-awaited policy change is confusing.