List of Lehendakaris

The president of the autonomous government of the Basque Country, Spain is referred to as Eusko Jaurlaritzako lehendakaria in Basque ("president of the Basque Government"). The correspondent title in Spanish is Presidente del Gobierno Vasco and, since recently, lehendakari^[1] or the Spanish form lendakari.^[2]

List of lehendakaris

№	From	To	Picture	Holder	Party	Notes
1st	7 October 1936	22 March 1960		José Antonio Aguirre y Lecube	PNV-EAJ	In exile from 1937 due to the advance of the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship.
2nd	22 March 1960	2 May 1979		Jesús María de Leizaola Sánchez	PNV-EAJ	In exile. The Basque government-in-exile dissolved following the enacting of the new Statute of Autonomy in 1980.
	7 February 1978	2 May 1979		Ramón Rubial Cavia	PSE-EE	Appointed President of the Basque General Council, a multiparty organ preparing the restoration of Basque autonomy. He used the title lehendakari [3] and the Basque Government lists him as one[4] However nationalists such as Iñaki Anasagasti point to the simultaneous presence of Leizaola to deny Rubial the title.[5]
3rd	2 May 1979	2 March 1985		Carlos Garaikoetxea Urriza	PNV-EAJ	Served as president of the Basque General Council in 1979, then as Lehendakari after the enacting of the Statute of Autonomy.
4th	2 March 1985	2 January 1999		José Antonio Ardanza Garro	PNV-EAJ
5th	2 January 1999	7 May 2009		Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu	PNV-EAJ
6th	7 May 2009	15 December 2012		Francisco Javier "Patxi" López Álvarez	PSE-EE
7th	15 December 2012	Incumbent		Iñigo Urkullu Rentería	PNV-EAJ

See also

• Lehendakari
• Basque Government
• Ajuria Enea

References

1. The Style Guide of the most sold newspaper in Spain, El País, recommends the spelling "lehendakari" and advises against the spelling "lendakari."
2. The dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy uses the spelling "lendakari."
3. Ramón Rubial Lehendakari:

   (Spanish) "Recién nombrado, en febrero de 1978, le preguntaron ¿Lehendakari o Presidente? a lo que afirmó: “Tradicionalmente siempre se ha llamado al Presidente del Gobierno Vasco, Lehendakari. A mí me gustaría que me llamaran así; parece lo lógico”.

   (English) "Freshly named, in February 1978, he was asked: "Lehendakari" or "Presidente"?. He answered: "Traditionally the President of the Basque Government has always been called Lehendakari. I would like to be called so; it seems logical"

4. (Spanish) Predecesores at the site of the Basque Government.
5. Rubial nunca fue Lehendakari, Iñaki Anasagasti, Deia, 31 October 2012.