From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joaquim Nadal i Farreras was born in 1948. He was mayor of Girona and currently he is the spokesperson of the Catalan Government. He is married and has two children.

[edit] Professional background

He co-ordinated, along with Philippe Wolf, the book Història de Catalunya (History of Catalonia, 1982).

He has written several history books, and he has collaborated in literary and political works in periodical publications. He has also published various hagiographical works of the kind so beloved by Spanish politicians:

• Municipi i Ciutat. Girona com a exemple ( Municipality and City. Girona as an Example, 1988),
• Girona. Mirant el present, pensant el futur (Girona, Looking at the Present, Thinking about the Future, 1991),
• Girona, ciutat viva i de colors (Girona, A Living and Colourful City, 1999),
• La Catedral de Girona (Girona Cathedral, 2003),
• Catalunya, Catalanisme i Socialisme (Catalonia, Catalanism and Socialism, 2003)

He has been in charge of the edition of the book Emilio Grahit y Papell. Memorias de un ex-alcalde gerundense (Emilio Grahit y Papell. The Memoirs of a Former Mayor of Girona 2003, a work recommended for sufferers of insomnia). Though fairly successful as Mayor of Girona, Nadal's spell in Catalonia's tripartite government has been marked by a failure to engage the electorate and a high-handed approach to policy issues. In particular, his refusal to countenance a low-impact alternative route for Spain's high speed train that would avoid tunnelling under Barcelona's fragile city-centre foundations has angered many Socialist voters and is unlikely to enhance either his or his party's chances of re-election. His most recent statements (June 2006) as Minister of Public Works reveal that the present Catalan Government plans to do nothing to stop runaway construction in the Pyrenees. The building of second homes in the area (which includes the Mediaeval town of Taüll, which, together with the church of Sant Climent de Taüll, is listed by UNESCO as a [1]World Heritage site) threatens to wreak the kind of environmental havoc seen in Catalonia's Costa Brava in the 1960s and 1970s. Spanish politicians are notorious for their acceptance of backhanders from the construction industry to enrich both themselves and to provide illegal funding for their parties.

He has also given several historical and political speeches and is Lecturer in Contemporary History at the Universitat de Girona (UdG). During his spell as Mayor of Girona, he took the highly controversial and unilateral decision to conserve the Fascist symbols and iconography on one of the city's bridges - a cruel daily reminder to the many city burghers who suffered during the Franco dictatorship and a contrast to the systematic removal of totalitarian symbols in the rest of Europe.

[edit] Institutional background

He was mayor of Girona between 1979 and 2002 and President of the Catalan Municipalities Federation (1981-1995).

He also ran for the presidency of the Generalitat in 1995. He has been a member of parliament since 1984, where he was President of the Socialist parliamentary group (1995-1999) and its spokesman (1999-2003).

Mayors of Girona

... · Marià Berga · Narcís de Foixà · Francesc de Delàs · Francesc de Camps i Font · Josep Antoni de Ferrer · Valentí Comas · Joan Danís · Narcís de Camps · Narcís Germen · Marià Camps i de Niubò · Baldiri Simon · Francesc Camps i Roger · Antoni Martí i Serra · Francesc Camps i Roger · Marià Camps i de Niubò · Narcís Sicars · Joan Urgell · Joan Martell Domènech · Tomàs Narcís Blanch · Ramon Contreras · Joan Martell Domènech · Marquès de la Torre · Josep de Caramany · Ventura Mader · Josep Coll · Joan Balari · Marià Hernández · Joaquim Rigau · Ignasi Bassols · Pere Viñas · Joaquim de Cors i Guinart · Francesc López Martínez Corregidor · Pere Barragán i García Progressist · Joaquim Massaguer i Vidal Progressist · Pere Barragán i García Liberal · Joaquim Riera i Bertran · Narcís Farró i Albert · Josep Prats i Font · Ignasi Bassols i de Rovira · Pere Gahit i Vié · Marià de Camps i de Feliu · Josep Mollera i Calvet · Pere Grahit i Vié · Martí Coll i Lliura · Joan Romaní i Miguel · Francesc de P. Massa i Vall·llosera · Andreu Tuyet i Santamaria · Francesc de P. Massa i Vall·llosera · Emili Grahit i Papell · Agustí Garriga i Mundet · Andreu Tuyet Santamaria · Francesc de Ciurana i Hernández · Joaquim d'Espona i de Nuix · Antoni Boxa i Bagué · Manuel Català i Calzada · Francesc de Ciurana i Hernández · Frederic Bassols i Costa · Manuel Català i Calzada · Francesc Montsalvatge i Fossas · Francesc de Ciurana i Hernández · Artur Vallès i Rigau · Francesc Coll i Turbau · Lluís de Llobet i de Pastors · Frederic Bassols i Costa · Albert de Quintana i Serra · Frederic Bassols i Costa · Albert de Quintana i Serra · Francesc Coll i Turbau · Frederic Bassols i Costa · Lluís de Puig i Viladevall · Joan Tarrús i Bru · Jaume Bartrina i Mas · Frederic Bassols i Costa · Jaume Bartrina i Mas · Joaquim Tordera i Girbau · Francesc Coll i Turbau · Miquel Santaló i Parvorell · Josep Maria Dalmau i Casademont · Francesc Tomàs i Martín · Llorenç Busquets i Ventura · Expedit Duran i Fernández CNT · Llorenç Busquets i ventura · Pere Cerezo i Hernáez · Joan Ballesta i Molinas · Joan Tarrús i Bru · Albert de Quintana i Vergés · Antoni Franquet i Alemany · Joan Maria de Ribot i de Balle · Pere Ordis i Llach · Josep Bonet i Cufí · Ignasi de Ribot i de Balle · Joaquim Nadal i Farreras · Anna Pagans i Gruartmoner