Joseba Leizaola

Joseba Andoni Leizaola Azpiazu (January 3, 1931 – January 6, 2017) was a Spanish politician, Basque nationalist and member of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV-EAJ). He was a member of the Basque Parliament for eighteen years from 1980 to 1998, including a tenure as the third President of the Basque Parliament from December 18, 1990, to September 1, 1998.[1]

Joseba Leizaola
3rd President of the Basque Parliament
In office
December 18, 1990 – September 1, 1998
Preceded byJesús Eguiguren Imaz
Succeeded byJuan María Atutxa
Member of the Basque Parliament
In office
March 31, 1980 – September 1, 1998
Second Vice President of the Basque Parliament
In office
January 8, 1987 – December 18, 1990
Preceded byJosé Antonio Maturana
Succeeded byFrancisco José Ormazabal
First Secretary of the Basque Parliament
In office
November 30, 1983 – January 8, 1987
Preceded byJosé Antonio Zaldua Arbiza
Succeeded byKoro Garmendia Galbete
Personal details
Born(1931-01-03)January 3, 1931
San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain
DiedJanuary 6, 2017(2017-01-06) (aged 86)
San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain
Political partyPNV-EAJ

Leizaola was born in San Sebastián.[1] He moved Venezuela in the early 1940s to escape the Francoist Spain government of Francisco Franco.[1] His father, Ricardo Leizaola, was the founder of the El Día newspaper and the weekly newspaper. His uncle, Jesús María Leizaola was Lehendakari, or President, of the Basque-government-in-exile, from 1960 to 1978.[1] Joseba Leizaola and his family lived in Venezuelan until the transition to democracy. He became active in the Basque exile and Basque-Venezuelan communities.[1] Leizaola served as the President of PNV of Caracas and a member of the Basque Center of Caracas.[1]

Leizaola became the leader of the Basque Nationalist Party's (PNV) Gipuzkoa provincial chapter during the Spanish transition to democracy.[1] He then served as a member of both the Gipuzkoa Buru Batzar and the Euskadi Buru Batzar from 1968 to 1977.[1]

In 1980, Leizaola was elected to the newly created Basque Parliament, where he served as an MP from 1980 to 1998.[1] He served as the third President of the Basque Parliament from December 18, 1990, until September 1, 1998, when he was succeeded by Juan María Atutxa.[1]

Joseba Leizaola died following a long illness on January 6, 2017, at the 86.[1]

References
  1. "Muere Joseba Leizaola, expresidente del Parlamento Vasco". El Diario Vasco. 2017-01-06. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.