Pujol i Soley, Jordi

b. 1930, Barcelona

   Politican and writer

   Since the re-establishment of democracy, Jordi Pujol has been one of the most influential political figures not only in Catalonia but in Spain as a whole. As leader of the majority party in Catalonia, Convergence and Unity (CiU), Pujol became President of the Generalitat in 1980. He has also played a major role in Spanish politics, particularly since 1993, when first Felipe Gonzá-lez's and then José María Aznar's minority governments have depended on CiU support for their survival. Pujol is a graduate in Medicine, and in 1946 became active in youth and nationalist Catholic groups. He was imprisoned for organizing pro-Catalan democratic campaigns, and spent two years in prison in the early 1960s. Following his release, he dedicated himself to projects which prepared the ground for an autonomous Catalonia. These ranged from the creation of a bank to the preparation of an encyclopedia and other publishing initiatives. In the 1960s and 1970s Pujol published several books, including Fer poble, fer Catalunya (Making a People, Making Catalonia) (1965) and Construïr Catalunya (Constructing Catalonia) (1979).

   With the advent of democracy in the 1970s, Pujol threw himself wholeheartedly into the political fray. In 1977, he was elected to serve as a member of the parliament in Madrid. He was re-elected in 1979, but resigned in 1980 in order to stand as a candidate at the 1980 elections to the new Catalan parliament. He was elected President of the Generalitat in 1980. He has worked tirelessly to promote Catalan business, language and cultural interests both within the Iberian peninsula and abroad. He is a keen supporter of the European Union, and was elected President of the European Regional Assembly in 1992.

   Further reading

   - Faulí, J. (ed.) (1988) El pensament polític de Jordi Pujol (1980-1987), Barcelona: Planeta.

   DAVID GEORGE