Joseba Arregui Aramburu

Arregui was born in Andoain on 30 May 1946. He studied at the Seminario Diocesano de San Sebastián and was ordained a priest.^[2] He then travelled to Fribourg to study theology and teaching and later earned a doctorate in theology from the University of Münster.^[3][4] He returned to Spain and finished his studies, earning a doctorate in sociology from the University of Deusto. He became a professor of sociology at the University of the Basque Country until his retirement in 2011.^[4]

Arregui became a prominent member of the Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ) and resistant to the Franco dictatorship.^[3] He served as Minister of Culture of the Basque Government multiple times under the leadership of José Antonio Ardanza^[3][4] and was a member of the Basque Parliament from 1999 to 2001, representing Gipuzkoa.^[5] He also served on the Euzkadi Buru Batzar [es].^[5] He retired from political activity in 2001 and left the EAJ in 2004 due to disagreements within the party.^[3] That year, he co-founded "Aldaketa", which promoted political change in the Basque Country and defended the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country of 1979.^[5]

Arrregui was the author of multiple books, such as La nación vasca posible, Euskadi invertebrada, and El terror de ETA: la narrativa de las víctimas.^[6]

Joseba Arregui Aramburu died on 14 September 2021 at the age of 75.^[7]