In 1985 nevertheless, major divergences with the direction of his party (Law of Historical Territories, personal clash with the president of the Basque Nationalist Party, Xabier Arzalluz, expulsion of all the organization in Navarre) created a major split inside EAJ-PNV and Garaikoetxea, leading one of the factions (with greater support in Guipuscoa, Navarre and Vitoria-Gasteiz, but not in Biscay nor the Araban countryside), he was replaced by José Antonio Ardanza in 1985.