The institutional structure of the Basque Autonomous Community enables foral (i.e., related to the Fueros) representative bodies such as the Juntas Generales and the Diputaciones, provincial organisations with their roots in the historic rights of the three Basque provinces that today make up the Autonomous Community, to coexist with other bodies that cover the entire Community, like the Basque Parliament and the Basque Government.

The Statute of Autonomy—approved and accepted by the 1979 referendum—and the Law of Historic Territories—which regulates the relations between the provincial foral bodies and the institutions common to the Spanish Basque Country as a whole—together establish a confederal model for the Basque Autonomous Community that combines the principle of political equality between the three historic territories (Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa and Alava) with a respect for the distinctive character of each.

The General Assembly - with functions similar to those of a provincial parliament - has the power to approve local regulations. The Basque Parliament debates and approves Laws. The Diputaciones are the executive bodies, the governmental organisations, of the three historic territories.

All three Juntas Generales have 51 members, elected by proportional representation for each constituency, which in this case corresponds to the districts of each province.

Elections to Juntas Generales are called by the Diputados Generales (the chief executives of each Diputación). The election date and period from calling elections to polling day always coincide with municipal election periods.

Candidates to Juntas Generales are subject to the same requirements as those presenting their candidatures to other elections: i.e., to the stipulations of the Spanish law governing elections. Candidates are announced 27 days after the call to elections, provided of course they comply with the regulations. The campaign begins 38 days after elections are announced, by which time the political parties have to provide their lists of candidates. The campaign lasts 15 days and ends at midnight on the penultimate day before polling.

RELATED LINKS

- General Assembly of Alava

- General Assembly of Bizkaia

- General Assembly of Gipuzkoa