Basque Country. Early political career After the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera ended in 1930, a new political era began in Spain. In 1931 and 1932, Aguirre intervened decisively in failed attempts at Basque devolution, which called for self-government, including in Navarre. On 5 November 1933, two weeks before a general election, a referendum was held in Álava, Gipuzkoa and Biscay on new wording for the Statute of Devolution, which abandoned the inclusion of Navarre. The wording was approved by an overwhelming majority (459,000 votes in favour, 14,000 against), but in Álava, the votes in favour did not reach 50%. As a result of the dissolution of the legislature for the general election, the hesitation of radical government, and Carlist opposition to the incorporation of Álava in the statutory process, devolution was prevented until 1 October 1936, when the Spanish Civil War started. Spanish Civil War On 7 October, the councillors from Biscay, along with some from Gipuzkoa and Álava, participated in passing a ballot. A major uprising had occurred in Álava and Navarre, and most of Gipuzkoa was in the hands of the rebels, who, with the political machinations of the councillors, set the stage for major political change. Aguirre was elected lehendakari, or president. After a religious ceremony at the Basilica of Begoña in which he swore allegiance to Catholicism, his country and his party, he visited Guernica and took his oath of office in the Basque language: A government of conciliation was formed with Nationalists, Socialists, Communists, and other Republicans but not without tensions among them. The government was in power in Biscay for several months until the fall of Bilbao. The first Basque government was made up of four members of the Basque Nationalist Party (Aguirre as president and head of defense, Jesús María Leizaola as head of justice and culture, Eliodoro de la Torre as head of finance, and Telesforo Monzón as head of interior); three of the PSOE (Santiago Aznar as head of industry, Juan Gracia Colás as head of welfare, and Juan de los Toyos as head of labor); one of Basque Nationalist Action (Gonzalo Nárdiz as head of agriculture); one of the Republican Left (Ramón María Aldasoro Galarza as head of trade); one of the Republican Union (Alfredo Espinosa as head of health); and one of the Spanish Communist Party (Juan Astigarrabía as head of public works). The Basque Army (Basque: Eusko