Joseba Leizaola

Joseba Andoni Leizaola Azpiazu (January 3, 1931 – January 6, 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 December 18, 1990, to September 1, 1998.

Leizaola was born in San Sebastián. He moved Venezuela in the early 1940s to escape the Francoist Spain government of Francisco Franco. 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. Joseba Leizaola and his family lived in Venezuelan until the transition to democracy. He became active in the Basque exile and Basque-Venezuelan communities. Leizaola served as the President of PNV of Caracas and a member of the Basque Center of Caracas.

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

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

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