●     Born in Bilbao. Married with two children.

●     Holder of a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Deusto.

●     Attorney at Law for the Basque Government since October 1981, working mainly in the defence of proceedings at the Constitutional Court.

●     Posts held at the Basque Government: Head of Legislative Development (May 1987), Head of Legal Framework (May 1988) and Basque Govt. Deputy Minister for Legal Framework and Autonomic Development (February 1991).

●     Since 31 January 1995, Secretary General for Legal Framework and Autonomic Development at the Basque Government.

●     Basque Govt. Minister for the Interior since January 1999.