Jon Iñarritu will not stand again for Euskal Herria Bildu. The MP from Leioa confirmed his decision on 15 October, announcing the end of a national political career that had kept him in the Cortes Generales for well over a decade and a half.
Iñarritu first entered Congress in late 2011 under the banner of Amaiur shortly after ETA ended its armed campaign. He is part of the generation that shaped the abertzale left’s shift towards sustained parliamentary work. He was an MP between 2011 and 2016, then a senator, and has been a member of Congress again since 2019. Politically, he comes from Aralar, a pacifist breakaway from Herri Batasuna that later became part of the broader Euskal Herria Bildu coalition. In Madrid, he made his mark with parliamentary initiatives, sharp criticism of the monarchy and repeated condemnations of ETA’s violence.
His withdrawal comes amid changes in personnel at Euskal Herria Bildu. Previously, Mertxe Aizpurua and Bel Pozueta has announced that she will not be available for the upcoming lists. At the same time, Oskar Matute has indicated his willingness to stand as a candidate again. According to the party, the reshuffles are intended to bring renewal and ensure balanced territorial representation. The proposed candidates for the four Basque provinces are due to be discussed internally in mid-October and then approved by the membership.
For years, Iñarritu was one of Euskal Herria Bildu’s most visible voices in the national parliament. Supporters highlight his committed parliamentary work and legal expertise, while critics point to some confrontational appearances. He spoke only briefly about his reasons for stepping aside; a strategic party decision and personal considerations seem likely, but have not been officially confirmed.
It remains to be seen what effect the personnel rotation will have on the election result on 29 November. Alongside the final candidate lists, mobilisation in the constituencies and the nationwide campaign are likely to be decisive. What is clear is that, with Jon Iñarritu, the last of the 2011 pioneers from Amaiur is leaving the national stage – a symbolic turning point in Euskal Herria Bildu’s development from an electoral platform into a firmly established party in the Spanish parliament.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).