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
InvestiturePasqual Maragall (PSC) Ballot → 16 December 2003 Required majority → 68 out of 135 Abstentions Absentees Sources
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.
← Maragall Government →(22 December 2003 – 29 November 2006) Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office President Pasqual Maragall PSC 18 December 2003 28 November 2006 First MinisterMinister of the Presidency Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira ERC 22 December 2003 27 January 2004 Minister of Institutional Relations and Participation Joan Saura ICV 22 December 2003 29 November 2006 Minister of Territorial Policy and Public WorksSpokesperson of the Government Joaquim Nadal PSC 22 December 2003 15 May 2006 Minister of Justice Josep Maria Vallès PSC 22 December 2003 29 November 2006 Minister of the Interior Montserrat Tura PSC 22 December 2003 29 November 2006 Minister of Economy and Finance Antoni Castells PSC 22 December 2003 29 November 2006 Minister of Governance and Public Administration Joan Carretero ERC 22 December 2003 31 December 2003 Minister of Teaching Josep Bargalló ERC 22 December 2003 23 February 2004 Minister of Culture Caterina Mieras PSC 22 December 2003 21 April 2006 Minister of Health and Social Security Marina Geli PSC 22 December 2003 28 May 2004 Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Antoni Siurana PSC 22 December 2003 21 April 2006 Minister of Labour and Industry Josep Maria Rañé PSC 22 December 2003 21 April 2006 Minister of Trade, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Pere Esteve ERC 22 December 2003 16 October 2004 Minister of Welfare and Family Affairs Anna Simó ERC 22 December 2003 12 May 2006 Minister of Environment and Housing Salvador Milà ICV 22 December 2003 21 April 2006 Minister of Universities, Research and Information Society Carles Solà ERC 22 December 2003 21 April 2006 Changes December 2003 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of Governance and Public Administrations Joan Carretero ERC 31 December 2003 21 April 2006 Changes January 2004 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of the Presidency Minister without portfolio Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira ERC 29 January 2004 4 February 2004 Changes 4 February 2004 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Changes 23 February 2004 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office First Minister Josep Bargalló ERC 23 February 2004 12 May 2006 Minister of Teaching Marta Cid ERC 23 February 2004 28 May 2004 Changes May 2004 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of Education Marta Cid ERC 28 May 2004 12 May 2006 Minister of Health Marina Geli PSC 28 May 2004 29 November 2006 Changes October 2004 Portfolio NameParty Took office Left office Minister of Trade, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Josep Huguet ERC 16 October 2004 12 May 2006 Changes April 2006 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of Governance and Public Administrations Xavier Vendrell ERC 21 April 2006 12 May 2006 Minister of Culture Ferran Mascarell PSC 21 April 2006 29 November 2006 Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Jordi William Carnes PSC 21 April 2006 29 November 2006 Minister of Labour and Industry Jordi Valls PSC 21 April 2006 29 November 2006 Minister of Environment and Housing Francesc Baltasar ICV 21 April 2006 29 November 2006 Minister of Universities, Research and Information Society Manuel Balcells ERC 21 April 2006 12 May 2006 Changes 12 May 2006 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of the Presidency Minister of Governance and Public Administrations Minister of Education Minister of Trade, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Minister of Welfare and Family Affairs Minister of Universities, Research and Information Society Changes 15 May 2006 Portfolio Name Party Took office Left office Minister of the PresidencyMinister of Territorial Policy and Public WorksSpokesperson of the Government Joaquim Nadal PSC 15 May 2006 29 November 2006 Minister of Governance and Public Administrations Xavier Sabaté PSC 15 May 2006 29 November 2006 Minister of Education and Universities Joan Manuel del Pozo PSC 15 May 2006 29 November 2006 Minister of Welfare and Family Affairs Carme Figueras PSC 15 May 2006 29 November 2006
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