The Basque Nationalist Party has clarified that it has not followed EH Bildu's lead on language policy, refuting the socialists' claims. Seeking consensus does not mean being subservient to anyone, and the PNV has always followed its own path. The Basque Language Law, as it states, recognizes Basque as the native language of the Basque Country and official alongside Spanish. This has allowed for the guarantee of education in Basque and institutional support for its promotion.

The Socialist Party should recall that the PNV did not wait for the pro-independence left in 1982 to approve the Law Regulating the Use of Basque in Parliament. Although HB did not participate, the law was approved thanks to the agreement led by the PNV in the first legislature after Franco's dictatorship. If the PSE withdraws from the agreement now, the PNV will continue to advance in favor of Basque, as always, with the aim of living as Basque speakers in this land.

The presence of Basque in the administration and education has advanced significantly. Thirty years ago, a third of civil servants had their Basque level certified; today, more than 90% have some profile, and many work in Basque. In education, the number of students studying in Basque has increased from 25,000 to 165,000 in public pre-university schools, exceeding 300,000 if the subsidized network is included. The D model is predominant, especially in Gipuzkoa.

Although the situations in Araba, Bizkaia, and Gipuzkoa differ, Basque has progressed, and the D model, chosen by parents, is the majority. The right to choose, guaranteed by Parliament, fosters society in favor of Basque. The commitment to the Basque Language Law was decisive, and the PNV was correct in making it, despite the pro-independence left turning its back on Parliament.

Pedro Miguel Etxenike, then Minister of Education, expressed concern over Navarre's language policy, denouncing that Basque was being cut and fragmented. Navarre's Foral Law named Spanish as official, with notable consequences: 76% of students study in Spanish, the opposite of what happens in the Basque Autonomous Community. Etxenike was right, and the Socialist Party should be ashamed of implementing a policy lacking rectitude.

The Basque Language Law was drafted with flexibility, prudence, and defending the freedom to choose the linguistic model, with the aim of overcoming diglossia and achieving bilingualism. One cannot simultaneously claim that Basque is an obstacle to working in the administration and, at the same time, promote its use. The Socialist Party is trapped; it does not want to be labeled 'Basque-phobic' but does not see a clear way forward. Basque is the support and sustenance of this land, the Basque identity, and its vitality.

Basque identity is fundamental in this globalized world. Basque is our own root, and it makes us local. We must strive to make Basque valuable, attractive, and necessary, to act as a people. Basque is the core of politics in Euskadi, and the Socialist Party should not remain on the sidelines, despite the PNV's efforts to reach an agreement.