Bingen Zupiria (born 1961) is a Spanish politician affiliated with the Basque National Party. As of 25 June 2024, he serves as Minister of Security in the Basque Government led by Imanol Pradales. He previously served as Minister of Culture and Language Policy in the Second Urkullu Government (2016-2020) and the Third Urkullu Government (2020-2024), serving under Iñigo Urkullu.[1] He also served as government spokesperson from 2020 to 2024.[1]

Bingen Zupiria
Zupiria in 2017
Minister of Security
Assumed office
25 June 2024
PresidentImanol Pradales
Preceded byJosu Erkoreka
Government Spokesperson
In office
8 September 2020 – 25 June 2024
PresidentIñigo Urkullu
Preceded byJosu Erkoreka
Succeeded byMaria Ubarretxena
Minister of Culture and Language Policy
In office
28 November 2016 – 25 June 2024
PresidentIñigo Urkullu
Preceded byCristina Uriarte (as Minister of Education, Language Policy and Culture)
Succeeded byIbone Bengoetxea
Acting Director-General of EITB
In office
2008–2009
Preceded byAndoni Ortuzar
Succeeded byAlberto Surio
Director of ETB
In office
1999–2009
Preceded byVacant (Iñaki Zarraoa as acting director, previously Luis Aranberri)
Succeeded byMiguel Angel Idigoras
Press Secretary of the Basque Government and Communications Advisor to the Lehendakari
In office
2 September 1989 – 22 January 1999
PresidentJose Antonio Ardanza
Preceded byJuan Ignacio Intxaurraga Beaskoetxea
Succeeded byJoseba García Bengoetxea
Personal details
Born
Bingen Zupiria Gorostidi

1961 (age 62–63)
Hernani
NationalitySpanish
Political partyBasque National Party
SpouseAintzane Bolinaga
Children3
EducationPhilosophy and Letters
Alma materUniversity of Deusto
OccupationJournalist
WebsitePersonal Twitter

Early life and education

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He was born in Hernani in 1961, and attended Urumea Ikastola.[2] He holds a degree in Philosophy and Letters from the University of Deusto, specialising in Basque Philology. He graduated with honours in 1984. In 2002, he earned a MBA on Management of Worker Cooperatives by Mondragon University.[3]

He was a member of the music duo "Miren eta Bingen", along with Miren Etxaniz.[4] The duo played traditional Basque music, and Zupiria used to play the pandero.[5] The duo was active for four years, and they released an album in 1982.[6]

Career

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In 1983, he started a journalist career at EITB, the public broadcasting service of the Basque Country. He worked as editor and presenter in the news division of ETB, the public television. He used to present Gaur Egun and Teleberri, the news programmes of ETB1 and ETB2, respectively. He later worked as editor in chief of ETB's news division.[7]

From 1989 to 1999 he was the Press Secretary of the Basque Government and Communications Advisor to the Lehendakari (President of the Basque Government), working under the presidency of Jose Antonio Ardanza. In 1999 he returned to EITB as director of ETB, where he remained until 2009, upon being sacked by the new administration formed after the 2009 Basque regional election. He briefly served as acting Director-General of EITB from 2008 to 2009, succeeding Andoni Ortuzar.[8]

From 2005 to 2007 he was the director of a joint master's degree by EITB and the University of Deusto on Audiovisual, Corporate and Institutional Communication. He was a visiting professor at the University of Mondragon for two years, from 2007 to 2009, teaching the course Quality to last year students of Audiovisual Communication degree. He has also taught in master's degrees on Corporate Communication and Management of Innovation and Knowledge by the University of the Basque Country.[9]

During the summer of 2009 he worked as script supervisor for the Basque drama series Mugaldekoak. After leaving his post at EITB he was the director of G-Quest from November 2009, a Bilbao-based company working on social research, strategic marketing and communication.[8] He was also a contributor for the newspaper Deia and the radio station Cadena Ser.[9]

In 2012, he became the director of the newspaper Deia.[10] In 2016 Lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu named Zupiria Minister of Culture and Language Policy of the Basque Government.[11] After the 2020 Basque regional election Urkullu formed his third government, where Zupiria remained as Minister of Culture and Language Policy and assumed the office of government spokesperson.[1]

The 2024 Basque regional election was followed by Imanol Pradales' election as lehendakari. Zupiria was one of the few ministers from Urkullu's last government to continue in the new cabinet. He was named Minister of Security, succeeding Josu Erkoreka.

Personal life

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He currently lives in Bilbao. He is married to Aintzane Bolinaga, a news editor at EITB.[12] The couple has two sons and a daughter.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Urkullu refuerza a Erkoreka, cesa a Murga y convierte a Zupiria en portavoz del Gobierno bipartito". El Mundo (in Spanish). 5 September 2020. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  2. ^ Zugasti Arizmendi, Arantzazu. "Bingen Zupiria, Euskal Telebistako zuzendari hernaniarra" (PDF). Hernaniko Udala - Urtekaria. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  3. ^ Irekia, Eusko Jaurlaritza. "Bingen Zupiria Gorostidi CV (2009)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-09-19.
  4. ^ "Trikitixa gazte eta kaletarra". Argia. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Bingen Zupiria eta Agus Barandiaran, pandero eta trikitilari bikote berria". EITB Euskal Irrati Telebista (in Basque). Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Miren eta Bingen". www.soinuenea.eus (in European Spanish). Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  7. ^ Irekia, Eusko Jaurlaritza. "Bingen Zupiria Gorostidi CV (2020)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  8. ^ a b "Zupiria, el colaborador de Ardanza que vuelve al Gobierno tras dirigir medios". El Diario Vasco (in European Spanish). 24 November 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Bingen Zupiria, nuevo Director del Deia". www.infoperiodistas.info. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  10. ^ DN (18 February 2012). "Bingen Zupiria sustituirá a Iñigo Camino como director de Deia". www.noticiasdenavarra.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Bingen Zupiria". Euskadi.eus. 12 July 2016. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  12. ^ "El PP critica que ETB nombre editora de informativos a la mujer del consejero de Cultura". El Correo (in Spanish). 19 July 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Bingen Zupiria hunkitu egin da anaien eta seme-alaben mezuekin". EITB Euskal Irrati Telebista (in Basque). Retrieved 19 March 2021.