The secretary-general of the Socialists in the Basque Country, Eneko Andueza (PSE-EE), on 11 October 2026 in Bilbao warned of setbacks to social and civil rights. In his view, a combination of Partido Popular and Vox stood for a right that had moved far to the right and a far-right party. Andueza said both forces wanted to “eliminate” rights won in recent years. The remarks come in the weeks before the election scheduled for 29 November 2026 .
Andueza emphasised that the dispute was not just about majorities, but also about how the country is governed, who political decisions are aimed at and what their priorities are. He cited housing policy protections, equality measures and the rights of LGBTI people as areas he believed were threatened by policy proposals from Partido Popular and Vox. He did not cite any specific legislative initiatives by these parties; this was a political warning during the election campaign.
The PSE-EE politician situated his criticism within the current dispute over social-policy initiatives. As an example, he referred to debates about interventions in the rental market proposed by the central government, whose consideration in the Congress has recently provoked controversy. He also noted that the political culture in Euskadi has so far maintained a comparatively measured tone, while acknowledging that the national-level political clash could affect regional debate.
Andueza’s position fits with the Social Democrats’ repeated emphasis: alongside economic stability, they want to highlight social achievements and defend them against attempts to roll them back. According to reports by Europa Press and EFE, Andueza has reiterated this approach several times in recent weeks, linking it to appeals to mobilise his own electorate.
It is unclear what measurable impact the increasingly pointed rhetoric will have on the decision on 29 November 2026. What is certain is that the debate over the direction and pace of social policy reforms will remain a central election campaign issue. The statements by Andueza quoted here are dated and were made in public; they mark the immediate context for this report, without speculating about any further, unsubstantiated intentions of other parties.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).