19 October 2026
Bilbao
On 8 October, the University’s Bilbao campus hosted a new event in the ‘ NOW Encounters’ series, entitled «Mirada larga en tiempos cortos». The event was attended by Aitor Esteban, president of the EAJ-PNV’s EBB, in a session aimed at discussing leadership, institutional policy, a culture of consensus and the socio-economic outlook for the Basque Country with the alumni community.
The discussion opened with reflections on the immediacy that dominates today’s agenda and the difficulty of maintaining a long-term strategic vision. Against this backdrop, Eba Gaminde, a lecturer who had been a student of Esteban himself and, years later, taught one of his children, moderated the discussion with the PNV politician and former Constitutional Law lecturer at the University of Deusto.
During the first part of the discussion, Esteban looked back on his time as a university lecturer and the impact this period has had on his subsequent political and institutional career: «Teaching brings you down to earth; it helps you organise your thoughts and break everything down into its constituent parts so that your students can understand them more easily».
Drawing on his more than two decades of experience in the Spanish Congress of Deputies, Esteban emphasised the need to make time for calm, considered analysis amid the daily whirlwind of political life. In this context, he addressed issues of importance to Basque society, such as self-government and the debate over a new statute, stressing the value of the progress already made by the different political parties. «Even if we don’t bring it to a conclusion, everything that has been achieved so far should be a commitment for every party, so that they can say: we’re not going to start from scratch. We have built something already,”» he noted.
On conflict resolution, Aitor Esteban stressed the importance of listening, understanding different positions and seeking common ground. He noted that «problems are not insurmountable. Everything depends on the people involved,» he added, explaining that the key lies in identifying each interlocutor’s limits in order to find common ground without compromising one’s own principles.
The announcement of general elections scheduled for 29 November came up during the event. In light of the new campaign landscape, Esteban clarified the PNV’s position as it prepares to contest the elections to the Spanish Parliament, rejecting the idea of becoming a “crutch” for other political forces: «That is not what we are aiming for. We believe that, as a party, we have a broad programme that takes the situation in the Basque Country into account in every area».
He also defended the need to preserve channels for dialogue in the face of polarisation, expressing regret at the tendency in Spanish politics to view concessions and consensus as signs of weakness.
A society that has also changed
In the final part of the discussion, attention turned to the changing dynamics of communication and the impact of social media platforms such as TikTok. Aitor Esteban acknowledged the difficulty of presenting complex debates on these platforms, noting that the challenge lies in reaching new audiences without sacrificing the rigour or depth of the message.
To conclude the event, the PNV leader outlined his vision for the Basque Country over the next two decades, expressing his hope for a more cohesive Europe, a Basque Country united across its territories and represented at European level, and the consolidation of Basque language as the majority language of communication.
