The PNV concluded the political cycle of Lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu on Friday and confidently welcomed the beginning of Imanol Pradales’ presidency. Embracing their traditions, the nationalist leaders captured a photo of Pradales with his predecessors, Iñigo Urkullu and Juan José Ibarretxe, on Thursday. Riding the momentum of the final week of the electoral campaign, Imanol Pradales made a last plea for support for his party to achieve a “strong majority for a strong Government,” even if Bildu wins more seats.

Taking advantage of the campaign’s closing on Friday, the PNV reminded the thousands of undecided voters – their weak spot in this election – that “the future of Euskadi is at stake” next Sunday, while wrapping each of their messages with the conviction that Imanol Pradales will become the next lehendakari. With boosted morale in recent days but uncertainty about the final result, Pradales dreamed of “a united Euskadi without exclusions” after two weeks of seeking confrontation with the EH Bildu model.

“It is the moment of truth,” Pradales urged his colleagues and supporters as he sought to secure the last votes that would guarantee governability for the PNV starting on April 21. Pradales and PNV President Andoni Ortuzar downplayed the importance of who will win at the polls on Sunday, instead focusing on the institutional leadership they have secured through the continuation of their pact with the Basque PSOE of Eneko Andueza. “On Sunday, a new era will begin for Euskadi, a new chapter for this country, and it will happen hand in hand with the PNV,” said Ortuzar, who admitted to his followers that he does not know who will win the elections.

Fully aware of the tight race with EH Bildu in terms of seats, PNV leaders intend to work tirelessly for every vote until the polls close at 8 pm on Sunday. “We do not want a polarized Euskadi, a return to the past, a regression,” Ortuzar stated during an event that also served as an opportunity to pay tribute to Iñigo Urkullu, the Lehendakari who was inaugurated for the first time on December 15, 2012. Nearly twelve years later, his successor, Imanol Pradales, sought to complement his image as an institutional manager with the emotional ties of his PNV membership. In fact, the lehendakari candidate with eight Spanish surnames sought to close an emotionally-charged campaign, which even included a pepper spray attack.

Pradales dedicated a significant portion of his speech in Spanish to honoring his father as “an anonymous Basque nationalist.” The lehendakari candidate appealed to the “example and commitment” of his father, who participated in the rejuvenation of the PNV in Santurtzi and was also part of the volunteer security team at internal events. They were both “ertzainas of the party” and participated in internal milestones such as the laying of the cornerstone in 1991 for the modern PNV headquarters in the center of Bilbao. “I am proud to be Basque and to belong to the PNV,” declared Pradales, the candidate who made a significant leap in both debate series and political rallies in the final days of the campaign.

The Lehendakari candidate used that “pride” as a distinguishing factor in response to criticism from other parties, including the Basque PSOE, regarding the management of public services such as healthcare, which are highly valued by the Basque people. This message was complemented by Andoni Ortuzar, who endorsed the “punishment vote” for EH Bildu, demanding that the PNV receive “votes in favor, votes for progress, votes with Euskadi in mind and in the heart.”