Eusko Legebiltzarra Basque Parliament
Type
Type	Bicameral
Leadership
Speaker	Begoña Unanua Cia, EAJ since April 3, 2009
Structure
Members	282 (205 NL + 77 LK)
Eusko Legebiltzarra (EL) Political groups	EAJ, EE, PE, Aralar, Mixed (EA, EB-B
Lurraldeko Kontseilu (LK) Political groups	EAJ, EE, PE, Aralar, Mixed (EA, EB-B, AF
Elections
Eusko Legebiltzarra (EL) Last election	2009
Lurraldeko Kontseilu (LK) Last election	2010
Meeting place
Gasteiz
Website
http://wwww.eklegebiltzarra.ek

The Eusko Legebiltzarra (Basque Parliament) is the legislative body of the Euskadi and the elected assembly to whichEusko Jaurlaritza is responsible.

The Parliament meets in the Basque capital, Gasteiz, although at the beginning it was held in Guernica, the symbolic centre of Basque freedoms.

PowersEdit

The Eusko Legebiltzarra has three main functions, legislative, budgeting and oversight. It draws up and passes laws of its own as well discussing and approving government regulations in lieu of law and proposals from the Lurraldeko Kontseilu (LK) related to regional issues. Together with the Lehendakari, it produces the annual budget, taking into consideration the views of the LK. It also has the right to question the Lehendakari and other government officials.

The Lehendakari does not hold the power to relinquish the Eusko Legebiltzarra.

CompositionEdit

StructureEdit

LeadershipEdit

The Eusko Legebiltzarra is chaired by a speaker and four deputy speakers elected from the membership. The current speaker is Begoña Unanua Cia.

CommissionsEdit

There are a total of ten commissions whose job it is to discuss matters related to their areas of responsibility and formulate bills for submission to the plenary session. The commissions and areas of responsibility are:

Lurraldeko KontseiluEdit

The Lurraldeko Kontseilu (LK) was created by the third amendment to the 1949 Euskadi Konstituzioa enacted 9 November 1999 in a move towards bicameralism. The LK does not have the revising powers of an upper house like, for example, the former United States Senate. Article 22D restricts the LK to dealing with bills on "regional autonomy, the relationship of central and local government, formation, expansion and merger of regions, management of natural resources and other economic resources, and Bills related to the financial balance between the centre and the regions."

Powers and structureEdit

The LK can propose such bills to the Eusko Legebiltzarra and must be heard on any regional bill proposed by the EL. Each Lurralde elects 11 members to the LK on a non-partisan basis.