Iñigo Urkullu appointed as new Basque Country's lehendakari

Iñigo Urkullu, whose Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) won regional elections in the Basque Country in October, was appointed as new Basque prime minister, or lehendakari, on Thursday, when a simple majority was enough to win the vote in the Basque parliament.

Urkullu unveiled on Wednesday his plans for this term of office in the Basque Parliament at a parliamentary sitting at the end of which all the members of parliament will vote to appoint the new lehendakari.

Urkullu was not appointed on Wednesday as absolute majority was needed and PNV, that has 27 seats in the 75-seat chamber, will form a single-party government after failing to reach an agreement with other political parties to set up a coalition government.

Talking in the parliament after his appointment, the lehendakari said that he will work hard to reach agreements with the remaining parties in the chamber. He added that he will also try to make this term of office one in which peace and self-government are the main axis. "I will do my best to reach agreements", he said.

Urkullu will take his oath in Gernika's Assembly House on Dec. 15.