Catalan president names new Chief of Staff after resignation following investigation

Catalan president Salvador Illa has named Xavier Amor as his new Chief of Staff, following the resignation of Eduard Rivas.

Rivas stepped down to avoid "any shadow of doubt" regarding the role, after the judicial seal was lifted on a case in which he is being investigated, dating back to his time as mayor of Esparreguera.

"Integrity and public ethics have always guided my actions," Rivas said in a statement, who remains "convinced" that he has "always" acted in accordance with the law.

In the statement, Rivas explains that ten months ago he learned of a judicial investigation into the Foundation for Labor Inclusion (FIL), based in Esparreguera. He had served as a board member of the foundation during his tenure as mayor of the municipality, alongside four other mayors from the same region.

At the end of April, following the emergence of the judicial investigation, Illa had reaffirmed his confidence in him. Now, Rivas says he is concluding a chapter of which he feels "very honored," and he expresses his gratitude to the president for that trust. Upon receiving the resignation, Illa thanked him for his "commitment" and "services rendered."

Eduard Rivas’s successor, Xavier Amor, was born in Pineda de Mar in 1975 and, until now, served as Secretary for Local Governments and Relations with Aran.

He was the mayor of Pineda for seventeen years, from 2007 to 2024, having previously served as a local councilor for eight years.

He also presided over the Federation of Municipalities of Catalonia between 2013 and 2019. Amor holds a degree in Business Administration and Management and has completed studies in Commerce and Public Sector Governance.