Man and from Barcelona: this is the prototype of the councilor of the Generalitat of Catalonia of the last century. They are chosen from all over Catalonia but their origin is eminently Barcelona. Seven out of every 10 senior officials in the Government – between President and Councilors – are men and four out of every 10 are from Barcelona.
Altogether, there are 120 different people who in the last 25 years have been presidents of the Government or led a department during an entire legislature or part of it. These representatives not only set the direction of the government of each legislature but are also the orchestra directors of a civil service structure that includes 450 senior officials and 282,000 public workers.
Although the rulers come from various corners of Catalonia, the city of Barcelona has exerted a disproportionate influence in the configuration of the Government. While the Catalan capital brings together 29% of the Catalan population – according to the latest Idescat figures from 2023 – Barcelona leaders represent more than 35% of the senior Government officials of this century.
On the other hand, the rest of the metropolitan regions such as Baix Llobregat, the two Vallès and the Maresme, which together bring together more than 35% of the inhabitants of Catalonia, are underrepresented. They only represent 18% of all government leaders in the last 25 years.
Baix Llobregat is the most vulnerable region: despite being the place of residence of 10% of Catalans, only 4% of the leaders of the last governments come from this region. On the other hand, Gironès is the most overrepresented region: with 2.5% of the population and more than 5% of politicians in the government.
The Catalan executive that had the greatest presence in Baix Llobregat was that of Pascual Maragall, with 3 people born in this region and who represented 10% of all the people who led any department.
The current presence of Barcelona women in the current executive is more faithful to the demographic reality: if Barcelona has 29% of the population, 26% of the members are from the Catalan capital. Son cuatro: the Minister of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, David Mascort; the Minister of the Interior, Joan Ignasi Elena; the Minister of Social Rights, Carles Campuzano, and the Minister of Culture, Natàlia Garriga.
On May 12, Catalonia will once again elect new representatives and with it a new territorial sample that will mark the course of the more than 280,000 public workers who depend on the Generalitat.
