Pere Aragonès Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Right Honourable
Pere Aragonès
Order:132nd
Office:President of the Government of Catalonia
Term Start:24 May 2021
Term End:10 August 2024
Vicepresident:Jordi Puigneró
Laura Vilagrà
Predecessor:Quim Torra
Successor:Salvador Illa
Office1:Vice President of Catalonia
Term Start1:2 June 2018
Term End1:24 May 2021
President1:Quim Torra
Predecessor1:Oriol Junqueras
Successor1:Jordi Puigneró
Office2:Minister of Economy and Finance of Catalonia
Term Start2:2 June 2018
Term End2:24 May 2021
President2:Quim Torra
Predecessor2:Oriol Junqueras
Successor2:Jaume Giró
Constituency Mp3:Barcelona
Parliament3:Catalan
Term Start3:5 December 2006
Term End3:21 January 2016
Predecessor3:Josep Huguet
Successor3:Maria Assumpta Rosell i Medall
Office4:Member of Pineda de Mar Municipal Council
Term Start4:11 June 2011
Term End4:26 April 2018
Successor4:Meritxell Mateu Estopa
Birth Name:Pere Aragones i Garcia
Birth Date:16 November 1982
Birth Place:Pineda de Mar, Catalonia, Spain
Citizenship:Spanish
Party:Republican Left of Catalonia
Alma Mater:Open University of Catalonia
University of Barcelona
Occupation:Lawyer, academic
Website:Official website

Pere Aragonès i Garcia (in Catalan; Valencian pronounced as /ˈpeɾə əɾəɣuˈnɛs i ɣərˈsiə/; born 16 November 1982) is a Catalan lawyer and politician, and the President of the Government of Catalonia from 2021 to 2024. He previously served between 2018 and 2021 as Vice President and Minister of Economy and Finance of Catalonia, as well as Acting President since 28 September 2020. He is a member of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) political party.

Born in 1982 in Pineda de Mar, Aragonès studied law at the Open University of Catalonia and economics at the University of Barcelona before becoming a lawyer and an academic. He was a member of the Parliament of Catalonia from December 2006 to January 2016 when he was appointed Secretary of Economy in the Catalan government. He was a member of the municipal council in Pineda de Mar from May 2011 to April 2018 and was appointed Vice President and Minister of Economy and Finance of Catalonia in June 2018.

Early life

Aragonès was born on 16 November 1982 in Pineda de Mar, Catalonia, Spain.[1] [2] His grandfather, a textile businessman and real estate tycoon, also served as the mayor of his hometown during the Francoist dictatorship, continuing in the post throughout the Transition as a member of Democratic Reform of Catalonia and People's Alliance up until 1987.[3] In the 1990s, his father served as municipal councillor for Convergence and Union in Pineda.[4] He has a degree in law from the Open University of Catalonia and a master's degree in economic history from the University of Barcelona (UB).[1] [2] He has also studied public policy and economic development at the Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.[2] [5] He is currently studying for a Ph.D. in economic history from UB.[6]

Aragonès joined the Young Republican Left of Catalonia, the youth wing of the Republican Left of Catalonia, in 1998 and was its national spokesperson from 2003 to 2007.[2] [5] He joined ERC in 2000.[1] He has been a member of ERC's executive since 2003 and is currently number three in the party.[7] He is also a member of the Òmnium Cultural.[5]

Career

Aragonès worked at a law firm specialising in corporate and public administration law.[1] [2] He was a researcher at the Institut Ignasi Villalonga d'Economia i Empresa and an associate professor at the University of Perpignan.[2] In January 2016 he was appointed the Generalitat de Catalunya's Secretary of Economy.[1] [2]

At the 2003 regional election Aragonès was placed 38th on the Republican Left of Catalonia's list of candidates in the Province of Barcelona but the party only won 13 seats in the province, and as a result he was not elected.[8] [9] At the 2006 regional election he was placed 12th on the ERC's list of candidates in the Province of Barcelona but the party only won 11 seats in the province and as a result he was not elected again.[10] [11] In December 2006, he was appointed to the Parliament of Catalonia following the resignation of Josep Huguet.[12]

Aragonès was placed 7th on ERC's list of candidates 2010 in the Province of Barcelona and, although the party only won six seats in the province, he was re-elected after the second placed candidate Ernest Benach declined to take his seat in the Catalan parliament.[13] [14] He was re-elected at the 2012 and 2015 regional elections.[15] [16] [17] [18] He resigned from parliament upon being appointed Secretary of Economy.

Aragonès contested the 2011 local elections as a Republican Left of Catalonia-Junts per Pineda-Acord Municipal (ERC-JP-AM) electoral alliance candidate in Pineda de Mar and was elected.[19] [20] He was re-elected at the 2015 local elections.[21] [22] He resigned from Pineda de Mar Municipal Council in April 2018.[23]

On 19 May 2018, newly elected President of Catalonia Quim Torra nominated a new government in which Aragonès was to be Vice President and Minister of Economy and Finance.[24] [25] [26] He was sworn in on 2 June 2018 at the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya.[27] [28] [29]

On 15 March 2020 Aragonès announced on Twitter that he had contracted COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.[30]

On 28 September 2020, following the rule issued by the Spanish Supreme Court that barred President of Catalonia Joaquim Torra from chairing any public office, he assumed the position as acting President of the region.[31]

On 21 May 2021, after the 2021 Catalan elections and an agreement with Junts, he became the first President of Catalonia from Esquerra Republicana since Josep Tarradellas in the 1980s.[32]

In June 2021, he welcomed the decision by Pedro Sánchez to pardon those convicted for the 2017 independence attempt but said that he would pursue amnesty for all those involved in that year's events, which would benefit over 3,000 people.[33]

Electoral history

Election! scope=col
Constituencyscope=colPartyscope=colAlliancescope=colNo.scope=colResult
38 Not elected
12 Not elected
7 Elected
Republican Left of Catalonia—Junts per Pineda-Acord Municipal 1 Elected
8 Elected
Republican Left of Catalonia—Junts per Pineda-Acord Municipal 1 Elected
21 Elected
2021 regional1 Elected

Notes and References

  1. News: Pere Aragonès és nomenat secretari d'Economia i Lluís Salvadó, secretari d'Hisenda . 16 June 2018 . . . 19 January 2016 . Barcelona, Spain . ca.
  2. News: Lluís Salvadó i Pere Aragonès, els homes forts de Junqueras a Economia . 16 June 2018 . Nació Digital . 13 January 2016 . Barcelona, Spain . ca.
  3. Web site: Pere Aragonès: la fortuna franquista del nuevo "president" de la Generalitat. Alex. Soler. 10 April 2021. La Razón. 2 August 2022. es.
  4. Web site: Así es la familia de Pere Aragonés, nuevo presidente de la Generalitat. Vanitatis. El Confidencial. 2 August 2022. 21 May 2021. Silvia. Taulés.
  5. News: Perfil: Pere Aragonès, l'alter ego de Junqueras al Govern . 16 June 2018 . . . 19 May 2018 . Barcelona, Spain . ca.
  6. News: Baquero . Camilo S. . L'alumne aplicat de Junqueras . 16 June 2018 . . 28 April 2018 . Mardid, Spain . ca.
  7. News: Pere Aragonès, de 'número dos' de Economía a conseller y vicepresidente . 16 June 2018 . . . 19 May 2018 . Madrid, Spain . es.
  8. Administració de Justícia: Juntes Electorals . Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya . 15 October 2003 . 3988 . 19858 . 12 June 2018 . . Barcelona, Spain . ca.
  9. Web site: Eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya 2003: Candidats electes. Departament de Governació, Administracions Públiques i Habitatge, Generalitat de Catalunya. 7 June 2018. 2. ca.
  10. Administració de Justícia: Juntes Electorals . Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya . 30 September 2006 . 4730 . 40764 . 12 June 2018 . . Barcelona, Spain . ca.
  11. Web site: Eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya 2006: Candidats electes. Departament de Governació, Administracions Públiques i Habitatge, Generalitat de Catalunya. 6 June 2018. 2. ca.
  12. BOPC 009/08: Tramitacions generals . Butlletí Oficial del Parlament de Catalunya . 18 December 2006 . VIII . 9 . 14 . 16 June 2018 . Parliament of Catalonia.
  13. Administració de Justícia: Administració Electoral . Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya . 2 November 2010 . 5746 . 80090 . 12 June 2018 . . Barcelona, Spain . ca.
  14. Web site: Eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya 2010: Candidats electes. Departament de Governació, Administracions Públiques i Habitatge, Generalitat de Catalunya. 6 June 2018. 2. ca.
  15. Administració Electoral - Juntes Electorals Provincials . Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya . 24 October 2012 . 6239 . 51639 . 14 June 2018 . . Barcelona, Spain . ca.
  16. Web site: Eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya 2012: Candidats electes. Departament de Governació, Administracions Públiques i Habitatge, Generalitat de Catalunya. 26 December 2017. 2. ca.
  17. Anuncis Diversos: Administració Electoral - Juntes Electorals Provincials . Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya . 1 September 2015 . 6947 . 10 . 10 June 2018 . . Barcelona, Spain . ca.
  18. Web site: Eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya 2015: Candidats electes. Departament de Governació, Administracions Públiques i Habitatge, Generalitat de Catalunya. 17 January 2018. 1. ca.
  19. Web site: Administració Electoral: Junta Electoral de Zona de Arenys de Mar . Butlletí Oficial de la Província de Barcelona . 26 April 2011 . 30 . 16 June 2018 . . Barcelona, Spain . ca.
  20. Web site: Consulta de Resultados Electorales: Municipales / Mayo 2011 - Mun. Pineda de Mar. Ministry of the Interior. 16 June 2018. Madrid, Spain. es. 26 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190326143159/http://www.infoelectoral.mir.es/infoelectoral/min/busquedaAvanzadaAction.html. dead.
  21. Web site: Administració Electoral: Junta Electoral de Zona de Arenys de Mar . Butlletí Oficial de la Província de Barcelona . 28 April 2015 . 23 . 16 June 2018 . . Barcelona, Spain . ca .
  22. Web site: Consulta de Resultados Electorales: Municipales / Mayo 2015 - Mun. Pineda de Mar. Ministry of the Interior. 16 June 2018. Madrid, Spain. es. 26 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190326143159/http://www.infoelectoral.mir.es/infoelectoral/min/busquedaAvanzadaAction.html. dead.
  23. News: Pere Aragonès renuncia a l'acta de regidor a l'Ajuntament de Pineda per centrar-se "en les noves responabilitats a ERC" . 16 June 2018 . . . 10 April 2018 . ca . 17 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015543/https://www.vilaweb.cat/noticies/pere-aragones-renuncia-a-lacta-de-regidor-a-lajuntament-de-pineda-per-centrar-se-en-les-noves-responabilitats-a-erc/ . dead .
  24. News: Torra nominates new government including jailed and exiled officials. 19 May 2018. Catalan News Agency. 19 May 2018. Barcelona, Spain.
  25. News: Torra nombra en su Govern a Aragonès, Artadi, Turull, Rull, Comín, Puig y Maragall. 19 May 2018. La Vanguardia. 19 May 2018. Barcelona, Spain. es.
  26. News: Puente. Arturo. Torra nombra a los encarcelados Turull y Rull consellers de su nuevo Govern. 19 May 2018. eldiario.es. 19 May 2018. Madrid, Spain. es.
  27. News: Catalan government takes office in emotional event, lifting direct rule. 3 June 2018. Catalan News Agency. 2 June 2018. Barcelona, Spain.
  28. News: Villalonga. Carles. El nuevo Govern de Torra toma posesión en un acto reivindicativo y escenifica el fin del 155. 3 June 2018. La Vanguardia. 2 June 2018. Barcelona, Spain. es.
  29. News: Los consellers toman posesión y prometen "lealtad" a Quim Torra . 3 June 2018 . . . 2 June 2018 . es.
  30. Web site: El vicepresidente Pere Aragonès da positivo en la prueba del coronavirus. 2020-03-15. Europa Press. es. 2020-03-15.
  31. Web site: García. Reyes Rincón, Jesús. 2020-09-28. El Tribunal Supremo confirma la inhabilitación de Quim Torra. 2020-09-28. EL PAÍS. es.
  32. Web site: Altimira. Arturo Puente, Oriol Solé. 2021-05-21. Pere Aragonès, investido al tercer intento gracias a la mayoría independentista del Parlament. 2021-05-22. ElDiario.es. es.
  33. News: Faus . Joan . In 'spirit of dialogue', Spain to pardon jailed Catalan separatists . Reuters . 21 June 2021 . 21 June 2021.