The book examines the ascent of the Basque Government's lehendakari, who has been in office since June 2024. During interviews conducted by the investigative journalist, the term 'pradalismo' repeatedly emerged, referring to the lehendakari's tendency to include his closest associates, rather than the most expert or prominent militants, in the government.
“"The colleagues he likes best, not the most expert or the best militants, but his favorites, have risen with him and entered the government."
According to the book's author, the lehendakari's profile, although better known in Bizkaia, was initially low, which was an advantage. However, a significant handicap was having spent his entire life under the orders of the PNV apparatus, as leaders set their sights on him in the 90s and began monitoring him.
The investigation also mentions the JoBuBi group (Jovenes Burukides Bizkainos), which first gained leadership in EGI and then in the PNV, displacing previous lehendakaris. For the past twelve years, the institutional leader has been the former lehendakari, while the party apparatus leader has been the party president. The latter imposed the current lehendakari's candidacy, which makes it difficult to believe the narrative of 'I am not from the apparatus' or of being a representative of a new generation.
The current lehendakari coordinated two processes carried out by the PNV from 2007 to the present: modernization and listening, being a fully trusted militant for the leaders. The investigative journalist summarizes the lehendakari's profile as someone from the PNV apparatus, imposed by one of its members, who has taken advantage of the party's internal weaknesses, such as corruption cases or the marginalization of militancy, to reach the government with his close associates. His career highlights include his appointment as a provincial deputy of Bizkaia at 36 years old and, subsequently, his position as deputy of Public Works in the same institution.
