[8][9] Imanol Pradales Gil was born on 21 April 1975 in Mamariga, a neighbourhood of Santurtzi, to a Basque nationalist family of non-Basque-speakers, the eldest of four children.

[10] Pradales has displayed "having eight Castilian surnames", with his ancestors having immigrated to the Basque Country in the beginning of the twentieth century from Burgos, Valladolid and Cantabria.

[18]Pradales earned a licentiate in Sociology and Political Science at the University of Deusto in 1997, where he enrolled thanks to the compensation that his grandfather had received for his war service.

[14][26] In 2015, Pradales came under criticism after being disclosed that while at office he had bought 7,200 shares of the construction company Sacyr, which had been awarded several projects in Bizkaia such as the Autzagane tunnels and the Igorre by-pass.

[27] Despite defending that the purchase "was legal and there is no conflict of interest" and ruling out his resignation, he acknowledged that he had made a "mistake" and sold all of his shares in the company.

[34][35] Curiously, among the members of the Network is the politician Alba García Martín, candidate for Lendakari and rival of Pradales in the 2024 Basque elections, who was selected by Bizkaia Talent during her time at the university.

[37] The surprising dismissal of the incumbent Lehendakari and the appointment of a low-profile young man were seen as an attempt to promote a generational renewal in the party and to halt the growth of EH Bildu.

[43][44] However, the campaign heated up in its last week following comments from EH Bildu's candidate, Pello Otxandiano, refusing to describe ETA as a "terrorist organization," which prompted criticism from the rest of the parties.

[45] On 16 April 2024, Pradales was attacked with pepper spray after attending a campaign rally at Barakaldo while he was heading to an electoral debate organized by the EITB.

[46][47] His aggressor, a 49-years-old man, was immediately arrested by the Ertzaintza and Pradales was admitted to the Gurutzeta hospital after losing his sight in the left eye.

[50][51] The Socialist Party of the Basque Country–Basque Country Left (PSE–EE) emerged as the kingmaker with 12 seats, making a repetition of the incumbent coalition between the PNV and the PSE–EE the likeliest outcome.