Government and politics in Basque Country, Spain: official figures
The regional parliament of the Basque Country approved the 2026 budget as Ley 7/2025 of 23 December 2025, with total spending of €17.33 billion.
How many people work for the government of the Basque Country?
The regional government public sector of the Basque Country, including its health service, schools and public universities, employed 106,352 people in January 2026, 7th largest of 19 regional workforces.
Source: Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública · saved copyWho employs public sector workers in the Basque Country?
Of the 148,196 public employees in the Basque Country in January 2026, 71.8% worked for the regional government, 22.2% for local councils and provincial bodies and 6.0% for the national state (Spain overall: 62.8% regional).
Source: Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública · saved copyHow many national police and Guardia Civil are there in the Basque Country?
The central state employed 8,908 people in the Basque Country in January 2026: 3,943 in the state administration, 4,777 in the armed forces, National Police and Guardia Civil, and 188 in the courts.
Source: Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública · saved copyHow many soldiers and police work in the Basque Country?
Soldiers, National Police officers and Guardia Civil made up 3.2% of all public employees in the Basque Country in January 2026, 2nd lowest of 19.
Source: Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública · saved copyHow Basque Country compares with other autonomous communities
Share of public employees working for the regional (or city) government, January 2026 (2026)
Basque Country ranks 5 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of public employees working for the regional (or city) government, January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | La Rioja | 74.4% |
| 3 | Cantabria | 74.0% |
| 4 | Asturias | 73.3% |
| 5 | Basque Country | 71.8% |
| 6 | Murcia | 69.5% |
| 7 | Galicia | 68.9% |
| 8 | Catalonia | 68.6% |
Regional public sector employees, January 2026 (2026)
Basque Country ranks 7 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Regional public sector employees, January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Valencian Community | 189,571 |
| 5 | Galicia | 120,132 |
| 6 | Castilla y León | 108,299 |
| 7 | Basque Country | 106,352 |
| 8 | Canary Islands | 97,409 |
| 9 | Castilla-La Mancha | 92,993 |
| 10 | Murcia | 71,345 |
Women as a share of regional public sector employees, January 2026 (2026)
Basque Country ranks 9 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Women as a share of regional public sector employees, January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Galicia | 71.7% |
| 7 | Balearic Islands | 71.2% |
| 8 | Castilla y León | 70.6% |
| 9 | Basque Country | 70.6% |
| 10 | Canary Islands | 70.5% |
| 11 | Valencian Community | 69.7% |
| 12 | Navarre | 69.5% |
More on Basque Country: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · Spain
Sources
- Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública: Estadística del Personal al Servicio de las Administraciones Públicas (EPSAP), January 2026, tables 1.6, 1.6.1 and 1.7, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cade1d2eea7b…)
- Ministerio de Hacienda: Presupuestos Generales de las Comunidades Autónomas, año 2026 (resumen ejecutivo, published 31 March 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81db80f35219…)
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