Iñigo Urkullu Renteria was born on 18 September 1961 in Alonsotegi, the only child of a Basque nationalist working-class family.

[4] He started working as a teacher at the Asti Leku Ikastola of Portugalete—where he taught future Lehendakari Imanol Pradales—and at the Félix Serrano School of Bilbao.

[9] In 1977, at 16 years of age, Urkullu joined Euzko Gaztedi (EGI), the youth wing of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV).

[14] However, his parliamentary career was characterized his low profile and few interventions, since he was more involved in the internal party affairs.

In 2017, he administered the René Cassin award to Sexual Minorities Uganda for their achievements in LGBT and human rights activism.