Maragall Government

The government of Pasqual Maragall was formed on 22 December 2003 following the latter's election as President of the Government of Catalonia by the Parliament of Catalonia on 16 December and his swearing-in on 18 December, as a result of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC), Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and Initiative for Catalonia Greens–United and Alternative Left (ICV–EUiA) being able to muster a majority of seats in the Parliament following the 2003 Catalan regional election. It succeeded the sixth Pujol government and was the Government of Catalonia from 22 December 2003 to 29 November 2006, a total of days, or .

Until 2006, the cabinet comprised members of PSC, ERC and ICV–EUiA, as well as a number of independents proposed by the first two parties. On 12 May 2006, Maragall expelled ERC from the government following its opposition to the new Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia in the voting held in the Cortes Generales on 30 March and 10 May, and ahead of the 18 June referendum. It was automatically dismissed on 2 November 2006 as a consequence of the 2006 regional election, but remained in acting capacity until the next government was sworn in.

Investiture

Cabinet changes

Maragall's government saw a number of cabinet changes during its tenure:
*On 31 December 2003, the Department of Governance and Public Administration was rebranded as the Department of Governance and Public Administrations.
*On 27 January 2004, Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira announced his resignation as first minister after it was unveiled that he held a meeting with the terrorist organization ETA while being in office, though he remained in the cabinet as minister without portfolio until 4 February. Three weeks later, on 20 February, it was announced that Teaching minister Josep Bargalló would become new first minister, with his former post being occupied by Marta Cid.
*On 28 May 2004, the departments of Teaching and Health and Social Security were rebranded as the Education and Health departments, respectively.
*On 16 October 2004, the Trade, Tourism and Consumer Affairs minister Pere Esteve resigned because of a worsening in his health condition—he had lung cancer—and was replaced in his post by Josep Huguet. Esteve died in June 2005.
*On 21 April 2006, Maragall agreed with his coalition partners the first major reshuffle of his cabinet: the PSC replaced the officeholders of the Culture (Caterina Mieras by Ferran Mascarell), Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (Antoni Siurana by Jordi William Carnes) and Labour and Industry ( Josep Maria Rañé by Jordi Valls) ministries; ERC had Xavier Vendrell and Manuel Balcells replacing Joan Carretero and Carles Solà at the helm of the Governance and Public Administrations and Universities, Research and Information Society departments, respectively; and Francesc Baltasar became the new ICV minister of Environment and Housing in place of Salvador Milà.
*On 11 May 2006, Maragall expelled all ERC ministers from the government, effective the next day, following the party's opposition to the new Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia, which had been voted in the Cortes Generales on 30 March and 10 May, and ahead of the 18 June referendum. The ordinary discharge of duties from ERC-held departments were temporarily re-assigned to PSC ministers until a reorganization took place on 15 May: Xavier Sabaté became new minister of Governance and Public Administrations, Joan Manuel del Pozo was appointed at the helm of the newly-restructured Education and Universities department, whereas Carme Figueras was put in charge of the Welfare and Family Affairs portfolio; the Trade, Tourism and Consumer Affairs and the Universities, Research and Information Society departments were disestablished, their competences transferred to the Economy and Finance and Education and Universities ministries, respectively.

Executive Council

The Executive Council was structured into the offices for the president, 16 ministries and the post of the spokesperson of the Government.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maragall government

2003 establishments in Catalonia
2006 disestablishments in Catalonia
Cabinets established in 2003
Cabinets disestablished in 2006
Cabinets of Catalonia