The countdown to the La Blanca 2026 festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz has begun. This year, the honor of launching the firework that initiates the celebration falls to the PNV. The Jeltzale party has reportedly been considering several potential candidates, though no official announcement has been made yet.
It is expected that the party's spokesperson, Beatriz Artolazabal, will reveal in the coming weeks who will be tasked with igniting the fuse. Last year, in 2025, the PP party selected highly festive figures, with Ojo Biriki notably appearing on the balcony.
The decision-making power this year rests with the PNV's municipal group, specifically its spokesperson. Other political groups, including the mayor, do not have a say in this choice. It is noteworthy that the party responsible for selecting the rocket launcher also oversees the Culture department.
Historically, the mayor of Vitoria-Gasteiz traditionally launched the rocket. However, since 1999, mayors have rotated this duty among the political groups. Before Alfonso Alonso's tenure, José Ángel Cuerda launched the rocket annually during his 20 years as mayor. In earlier times, during the Franco regime, successive mayors or the head of the festival commission performed the launch.
The rotation system was introduced with Alfonso Alonso's administration, ensuring each political group had an annual opportunity to launch the rocket. A controversy arose in 2002 when Alfonso Alonso denied the turn to Batasuna, which responded by launching an alternative rocket from a window on Virgen Blanca.
2007 marked the first time a non-politician was chosen to launch the rocket. Since then, lighting the fuse has become an honor extended to numerous citizens of Vitoria, with each party selecting its representative.
Gasteiz Hoy exclusively reported in 2017 when Eva García Sáenz de Urturi was chosen.
In recent years, various individuals and collectives have been the rocket launchers: in 2025, Ojo Biriki and the Cofradía de la Virgen Blanca; in 2024, the regional houses (PSE's proposal); in 2023, Víctor Laguardia, Eider Egaña, and Arabako Garrasia (EH Bildu's proposal); in 2022, Elena Loyo and four other women (PSE's proposal); in 2019, four healthcare cooperative workers (PNV's choice); in 2018, four retirees (PSE's proposal); in 2017, Eva García Sáenz de Urturi (PNV's choice); in 2016, Gaztedi and Araski (EH Bildu's vote); in 2015, Julio Roca (proposed by the PP); in 2014, relatives of the March 3 victims (proposed by EH Bildu); in 2013, the Food Bank (proposed by the PSE); in 2012, four prominent Basque speakers (PNV's choice); in 2011, journalists covering municipal news; in 2010, four anonymous individuals (Ezker Batua's choice); in 2009, Blood Donors (proposed by the PSE); in 2008, the Asociación Las Cuatro Torres and Luis Sosoaga (proposed by the PP); and in 2007, the creators of Celedón.
Between 1999 and 2006, the launch was carried out by the mayor and spokespersons of the political groups, and prior to that, until 1998, the responsibility lay with the mayor himself.
