catalan president

The new Catalan Government will finally have a Vice President

December 28, 2010 10:42 PM | CNA / Patricia Mateos

Mas will appoint the Christian Democrat Joana Ortega as the Catalan Vice President. She will be in charge of the public administration as well as institutional relations, such as Catalon Government's relations with the Spanish State. She will share the latter responsibilities with her party leader, Josep Antoni Duran i Lleida, the current Spokesperson of the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU) in the Spanish Parliament.

Artur Mas sworn into office

December 27, 2010 11:32 PM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

Catalonia has a new President. Artur Mas, the leader of the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition, Convergència i Unió (CiU), becomes the 129th President of the Catalan Government. The swearing-in ceremony takes place this morning at the Generalitat Palace, the seat of the Government. Mas is sworn into office in an institutional ceremony, followed by a reception. The new Catalan Ministers were announced this afternoon and will take office on Wednesday, when the new Government will meet for the first time.

The new Catalan Ministers

December 27, 2010 11:07 PM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

Artur Mas has finally decided upon the composition of his government. Mas waited to swear office and officially become President of the Catalan Government to make public his ministers’ names. Harvard and Berkeley professor Andreu Mas-Colell will be the Economy and Universities Minister. ESADE professor and international consultant, Francesc Xavier Mena will be in charge of Business and Employment. Socialist Ferran Mascarell accepted Mas’ offer to become the next Culture Minister. The Christian-Democrats hold the Vice Presidency and responsibilities on Public Administration, Relations with Spain, Agriculture and the Environment.

President Mas, the victory of persistence

December 23, 2010 09:29 PM | CNA / Patricia Mateos / Gaspar Pericay

Finally, after having tried in 2003 and 2006, Artur Mas is invested President of the Catalan Government. The economist has been working in the public sector since 1982. He was a type of Catalan Prime Minister between 2001 and 2003, in the last government of the CiU’s historic leader Jordi Pujol. In fact, Pujol elected Mas as his successor, an image that Mas finally abandoned. During these 7 years leading the opposition, Mas built his own profile and is perceived as a serious, efficient and moderate politician.

Mas promises a “business friendly” Government, “open to dialog, transparent and with cohesion”

December 20, 2010 09:53 PM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

Mas affirmed the beginning of a “national transition” towards the right of Catalans to decide on their own future. A new economic agreement with Spain is a priority in this direction. In addition, the new Catalan President will implement an economic reactivation plan, agreed together with the Parliament and the social agents. The new government will also have 2 expert advisory councils on Economics and Health, organised free of cost by professional associations. Mas also promised that, once the budget improves after the crisis, social policies will represent 55% of the public expenditure.

The Catalan Parliament kicked off its 9th term by electing Bureau

December 16, 2010 10:45 PM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

As expected, Núria de Gispert became the first woman to chair the Catalan Parliament, which has its origins in the 13th Century and is one of the oldest Parliaments in the world. The Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU) holds 4 of the 7 positions within the Bureau, including the chair. The Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) has 2 posts and the Catalan People’s Party (PPC), 1. The 4 smaller parties were not represented in the Bureau.

Catalan elections will take place on the 28th November

September 7, 2010 10:51 PM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

Catalan President José Montilla has finally announced the voting day after weeks of rumours. He surprised many people last week when he did not dissolve the Parliament and did not call for elections on the 24th of October, the most likely day. The opposition as well as a party in his Government coalition were asking for an urgent clarification and to have the elections as soon as possible.