Pasqual Maragall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pasqual Maragall
Olympic Order
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Official portrait, 2003
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| 127th President of the Government of Catalonia | |
| In office 20 December 2003 – 28 November 2006 |
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| Monarch | Juan Carlos I |
| First Minister | Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira (2003–2004) Josep Bargalló (2004–2006) |
| Preceded by | Jordi Pujol |
| Succeeded by | José Montilla |
| 114th Mayor of Barcelona | |
| In office 1 December 1982 – 26 September 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Narcís Serra |
| Succeeded by | Joan Clos |
| Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Catalonia | |
| In office 16 November 1999 – 17 December 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Joaquim Nadal |
| Succeeded by | Artur Mas (Office suspended between 17 December 2003 and 27 May 2004) |
| President of the Barcelona'92 Olympic Organising Committee | |
| In office 2 October 1988 – 9 August 1992 |
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| IOC President | Juan Antonio Samaranch |
| Preceded by | Park Seh-jik |
| Succeeded by | Billy Payne |
| Chair of the Barcelona'92 Olympic Organising Committee | |
| In office 12 March 1987 – 15 September 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Committee established |
| Succeeded by | Position dissolved |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 January 1941 Barcelona, Spain |
| Political party | Socialists' Party of Catalonia (since 1978) |
| Other political affiliations |
Workers' Front of Catalonia (1960s) Socialist Convergence of Catalonia (1974–1976) Socialist Party of Catalonia–Congress (1976–1978) |
| Spouse | Diana Garrigosa (1965-2020; her death) |
| Children | Two daughters and a son |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Signature |  |
Pasqual Maragall i Mira (born 13 January 1941) is a retired Spanish politician. He is famous for being the Mayor of Barcelona and the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, which is the government of the Catalonia region in Spain. He played a key role in bringing the 1992 Olympic Games to Barcelona.
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Early Life and Education
Pasqual Maragall was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1941. He was the grandson of the famous Catalan poet Joan Maragall. As a young man, he studied law and economics at the University of Barcelona.
In 1965, he married Diana Garrigosa, and together they had three children. In the same year, he started working as an economist for the Barcelona City Council. He also taught economics at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
From 1971 to 1973, Maragall lived in New York City. There, he earned a Master of Arts degree in economics from the New School University.
Start of His Political Career
Maragall became involved in politics during his youth. He joined groups that were against the government of Francisco Franco, who was the ruler of Spain at the time. In 1974, he joined a political party that would later become part of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC).
After returning from New York, he went back to his jobs at the Barcelona City Council and the university. In 1979, he was elected to the city council. His friend, Narcís Serra, became the mayor, and Maragall served as a deputy mayor.
When Serra was appointed Spain's Minister of Defence in 1982, Pasqual Maragall took over as the Mayor of Barcelona.
Mayor of Barcelona and the Olympics
As mayor, Maragall's biggest achievement was helping Barcelona host the 1992 Summer Olympics. He was the president of the organizing committee for the games. The Olympics were a huge success and helped transform Barcelona into a modern, world-famous city. The event brought new roads, buildings, and a lot of positive attention to the city.
Maragall served as mayor for 15 years, from 1982 to 1997. During this time, he also held important roles in European organizations. He was the President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and the President of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union.
President of Catalonia
After stepping down as mayor in 1997, Maragall briefly returned to teaching. But he soon came back to politics. In 1999, he ran for President of the Government of Catalonia but did not win.
However, in the next election in 2003, he was successful. On December 16, 2003, Pasqual Maragall was elected the 127th President of the Generalitat. He led a government formed by a coalition of three different political parties.
His time as president had some challenges. There were disagreements within his coalition government and debates over a new Statute of Autonomy, which is a law that defines Catalonia's powers within Spain.
Later Years and Legacy
In June 2006, Maragall announced he would not run for re-election. He left office in November of that year.
A year later, in 2007, he shared publicly that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In response, he created the Pasqual Maragall Foundation to raise money and support research to fight the disease.
In 2007, he also founded the Catalunya Europa Foundation. This organization works on ideas inspired by Maragall's career, such as strengthening Catalonia's role in Europe and promoting cities as centers for positive change.
Several books and documentaries have been made about his life and work. They explore his ideas on politics, his vision for Barcelona and Catalonia, and his leadership during the 1992 Olympic Games.
See also
In Spanish: Pasqual Maragall para niños
