Joseba Leizaola

Joseba Andoni Leizaola Azpiazu (3 January 1931 – 6 January 2017) was a Spanish politician, Basque nationalist and member of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV-EAJ). He was a member of the Basque Parliament for eighteen years from 1980 to 1998, including a tenure as the third President of the Basque Parliament from 18 December 1990 to 1 September 1998.[1]

Leizaola was born in San Sebastián.[1] He moved Venezuela in the early 1940s to escape the Francoist Spain government of Francisco Franco.[1] His father, Ricardo Leizaola, was the founder of the El Día newspaper and the weekly newspaper. His uncle, Jesús María Leizaola was Lehendakari, or President, of the Basque-government-in-exile, from 1960 to 1978.[1] Joseba Leizaola and his family lived in Venezuelan until the transition to democracy. He became active in the Basque exile and Basque-Venezuelan communities.[1] Leizaola served as the President of PNV of Caracas and a member of the Basque Center of Caracas.[1]

Leizaola became the leader of the Basque Nationalist Party's (PNV) Gipuzkoa provincial chapter during the Spanish transition to democracy.[1] He then served as a member of both the Gipuzkoa Buru Batzar and the Euskadi Buru Batzar from 1968 to 1977.[1]

In 1980, Leizaola was elected to the newly created Basque Parliament, where he served as an MP from 1980 to 1998.[1] He served as the third President of the Basque Parliament from 18 December 1990 until 1 September 1998, when he was succeeded by Juan María Atutxa.[1]

Joseba Leizaola died following a long illness on 6 January 2017, at the 86.[1]