Cristina González Calvar took office on 21 October 2026 at the Palacio de Ajuria Enea in Vitoria-Gasteiz as consejera de Turismo, Comercio y Consumo in the Basque government. Lehendakari Imanol Pradales read out the decrees appointing the new office-holder, thanked outgoing minister Javier Hurtado for his political and institutional experience and his close ties to the sectors, and urged his successor to move forward decisively. González then took the oath of office on the Estatuto de Autonomía.
In her inaugural speech, González said she would continue cooperation between the Gobierno Vasco, the foral Diputaciones, the Cuadrillas and the municipalities. According to her, tourism and trade account for around 18 per cent of economic output and about a quarter of employment in Euskadi, with more than 248,000 people working in these sectors. She reaffirmed the goal of promoting responsible, sustainable, competitive and inclusive tourism, and of supporting trade through policy so that it can grow in both quality and scale. In the coming months, she said, new laws on tourism and commercial activity would be introduced, along with regulations for the Statute of Consumers.
Born in 1969, González Calvar brings extensive administrative experience at foral level: since 2015, she had been Primera Teniente de Diputado General and Diputada Foral de Fomento del Empleo, Comercio, Turismo y Administración Foral in the Diputación de Álava. She also teaches at the UNED and is a councillor in Leza municipality. Previously, she was politically active in the Juntas Generales from 2007 to 2015, and served as a member of the Parlamento Vasco from 2009 to 2012.
In his address, Pradales highlighted the importance of courage and a culture that accepts mistakes: people should be willing to take risks when it comes to improving people’s lives. He also stressed continuity in the department, which has been led by PSE-EE representatives since 2016. Alongside Hurtado, those attending the ceremony included members of the Basque cabinet and the president of the parliament, Bakartxo Tejería, who was also present. After the swearing-in, the customary group photographs were taken, including on the palace’s grand staircase and in front of the Gernika Tree in the garden.
The government gave no dates for the planned legislative initiatives. Specific details and deadlines are expected in the next official actions; until then, the announced reforms remain political proposals.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).