Vitoria, Spain - The Basque parliament on Tuesday elected the region's first prime minister who favours its unity with Spain despite heavy criticism from Basque nationalists fearing more control by Madrid. Basque Socialist leader Patxi Lopez, 49, was elected new prime minister with 39 votes against 35 for outgoing Basque nationalist premier Juan Jose Ibarretxe.
Lopez was backed by the Socialists, the conservative People's Party (PP) and the small UPyD party.
Ibarretxe's Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) had governed the region of 2.2 million residents since it was granted a far-reaching autonomy in 1979 following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.
In his historic speech, Lopez announced a "new political era" in the region, calling for Basque unity to solve problems such as the violence of the militant separatist group ETA.
But Lopez' term in office appeared set to become stormy, with Ibarretxe accusing him of trying to "destroy... our national identity" and of "subordinating Basque interests to those of Spain."
The PNV has currents favourable to independence, and Ibarretxe tried to stage a regional referendum on self-determination. Lopez will thus be the first Basque premier clearly defending the region's unity with Spain.
The PNV took the most votes in the March elections, but the Socialists' informal alliance with the conservatives will allow Lopez to form a minority government.
The Socialists and PP are at odds on the national level, but joined forces to fight separatist potential in the Basque region.
Ibarretxe condemned their alliance as a "crusade to destroy" the Basque identity.
The outgoing premier said his plan of a vote on self-determination remained valid, but announced later that he was leaving politics.
Lopez, who gave his speech partly in the Basque language, vowed to be "on the front line in the fight against terrorism," expressing satisfaction that parties linked to ETA had been excluded by law from the 75-member regional parliament.
Violent separatism would be isolated socially and excluded from the media, while the Basque region would assume full self-government within the limits set by its current autonomy status, Lopez said.
Lopez was expected to give police more resources against ETA, to abolish subsidies to groups representing imprisoned ETA members and to ban public tributes to ETA, among other measures.
Security had been stepped up ahead of the parliamentary session for fear of attacks by ETA, which said it regards the new Basque government as a "priority target."
A car bombing said to have been planned to coincide with the parliamentary session was foiled when police captured ETA's military leader in France recently.
ETA's shrinking support has run parallel with its military decline, with Spanish and French police constantly arresting members of the group.
ETA killed four people in 2008, down from dozens of victims annually in its heyday in the 1980s. The group has killed a total of more than 820 people in its campaign for a Basque state created out of northern Spain and southern France.
Lopez will also focus on combating the effects of Spain's economic crisis in the Basque region.
His first challenges will include a general strike planned for May 13 by nationalist trade unions who also want to turn it into a political protest against the new government.
