Today, the Provincial Council of Alava is the governing body of this territory. The President -or general deputy - is elected by the General Assemblies and freely appoints the members of his/her cabinet (Deputies) who are responsible for different areas of government within the province of Alava and make up the Provincial Council.

Historically, the President of the Provincial Council of Alava is an important figure, ranking first in the official protocol. The maximum authority in the territory since the 15th century, in the past this figure was also the head of the armed forces recruited in each of the Brotherhoods as a special favour to the Crown in time of war.