Joaquim Nadal i Farreras
Encyclopedia
Joaquim Nadal i Farreras (Girona
, 31st January 1948), Catalan
politician
, is professor of Contemporary History at the University of Girona
. He is the current Leader of the Opposition
in the Parliament of Catalonia
since December 23, 2010 and also has held the office from 1995 to 1999. He was the Minister of Town and Country Town and Public Works of the Catalan Government, Generalitat de Catalunya
from December 2003 to December 2010. He is the first secretary of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia
(PSC) at Girona since 2008.
, from the PSC). He resigned in 2002, being his substitute Anna Pagans i Gruartmoner, also from the PSC. During his term of office as mayor of Girona, he launched the reform of the Barri Vell (1982), together with the promotion of the Call Jueu, the ancient Jewish neighbourhood. He also put into practice the widening and improvement of the social services’ infrastructures, bringing balance to the inequalities among neighbourhoods. As mayor of Girona, he also held the post of president of the Federation of Catalan Municipalities (1981-1985).
He was the PSC candidate for the presidency of the Generalitat in the 1995 elections for the Catalan Parliament, of which he is member since 1984.
and Girona
areas. From the 15th May 2006 until the end of the term of office, he also was Councillor of the Presidency.
He took part in the self-proclaimed alternative government of the socialist candidate Pasqual Maragall, between 2000 and 2003, as first councillor and responsible for the Education and Work departments. The aim of this “government” was to appear as an alternative to Jordi Pujol’s way of ruling.
(1970-1972), the Autonomous University of Barcelona
(1972-1992) and the University of Girona
(from 1992). His research work has been devoted to the 18th century in Catalonia, Spanish economic history of the 19th century and local history, concentrating on various contributions to the history of Girona.
Nadal has also published a number of books, such as: (1988) (1991) (1999) (2003) (2003)
Girona
Girona is a city in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell, with an official population of 96,236 in January 2009. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès...
, 31st January 1948), Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, is professor of Contemporary History at the University of Girona
University of Girona
The University of Girona is located in the city of Girona, Catalonia, Spain.It was founded in 1991, and as of 2010 consists of several campus and buildings across Girona: Barri Vell, Emili Grahit, Campus de Montilivi, Parc Científic i Tecnològic and Campus del Mercadal. A sixth one, Campus de...
. He is the current Leader of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
in the Parliament of Catalonia
Parliament of Catalonia
The Parliament of Catalonia is the unicameral legislature of Catalonia. It is formed by 135 members , who are elected every four years in ordinary period, or extraordinarily upon dissolution and call of elections by the President of Catalonia, by universal suffrage in proportional lists with four...
since December 23, 2010 and also has held the office from 1995 to 1999. He was the Minister of Town and Country Town and Public Works of the Catalan Government, Generalitat de Catalunya
Generalitat de Catalunya
The Generalitat of Catalonia is the institution under which the autonomous community of Catalonia is politically organised. It consists of the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia....
from December 2003 to December 2010. He is the first secretary of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia
Socialists' Party of Catalonia
The Socialists' Party of Catalonia is a social-democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain resulting from the merge of two parties PSC Reagrupament led by Josep Pallach i Carolà and PSC Comgres. It is the Catalan referent of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , and its Aranese section is...
(PSC) at Girona since 2008.
Years as mayor of Girona (1979-2002)
In 1979, he was the first mayor of Girona democratically elected after the Spanish transitionSpanish transition to democracy
The Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...
, from the PSC). He resigned in 2002, being his substitute Anna Pagans i Gruartmoner, also from the PSC. During his term of office as mayor of Girona, he launched the reform of the Barri Vell (1982), together with the promotion of the Call Jueu, the ancient Jewish neighbourhood. He also put into practice the widening and improvement of the social services’ infrastructures, bringing balance to the inequalities among neighbourhoods. As mayor of Girona, he also held the post of president of the Federation of Catalan Municipalities (1981-1985).
He was the PSC candidate for the presidency of the Generalitat in the 1995 elections for the Catalan Parliament, of which he is member since 1984.
Period in Catalan government (2003-2010)
In the year 2003, he joined the government of Pasqual Maragall (PSC) as Councillor of Territorial Politics and Public Works, being as well the Spokesman of the Catalan Government. From his department, Nadal has promoted and approved the Catalan Plan for Transport Infrastructures, which must rule all the new infrastructures of Catalonia –road and railway ones- until 2026. In this Plan is included the railway cross axis that must link central Catalonia with the LleidaLleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
and Girona
Girona
Girona is a city in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell, with an official population of 96,236 in January 2009. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès...
areas. From the 15th May 2006 until the end of the term of office, he also was Councillor of the Presidency.
He took part in the self-proclaimed alternative government of the socialist candidate Pasqual Maragall, between 2000 and 2003, as first councillor and responsible for the Education and Work departments. The aim of this “government” was to appear as an alternative to Jordi Pujol’s way of ruling.
Political thought
Among his political stances, he has shown his willingness to consider the immigrants’ right to vote for municipal elections, which must be conceived, according to his own words, as a “limited ruled project”, “with the utmost rigor” but with a series of “cautions” as, for instance, that the only immigrants with right to vote should be those from countries with which a “reciprocity” agreement exists.Academic career and publications
In terms of academic activity Nadal has intermittently taught at the University of LiverpoolUniversity of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
(1970-1972), the Autonomous University of Barcelona
Autonomous University of Barcelona
The Autonomous University of Barcelona is a public university mostly located in Cerdanyola, near the city of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain....
(1972-1992) and the University of Girona
University of Girona
The University of Girona is located in the city of Girona, Catalonia, Spain.It was founded in 1991, and as of 2010 consists of several campus and buildings across Girona: Barri Vell, Emili Grahit, Campus de Montilivi, Parc Científic i Tecnològic and Campus del Mercadal. A sixth one, Campus de...
(from 1992). His research work has been devoted to the 18th century in Catalonia, Spanish economic history of the 19th century and local history, concentrating on various contributions to the history of Girona.
Nadal has also published a number of books, such as: (1988) (1991) (1999) (2003) (2003)
- Responsible for the edition of the work by Emili Grahit i Papell, Memorias de un ex-alcalde gerundense (2003). (2005), a collection of most of his biographical articles published in the press, Dietari 2003. (2006) (2006) (2006) (2008). (2010).