Residence Casa dels Canonges Appointer Felipe VI of Spain Inaugural holder Berenguer de Cruïlles | Nominator Catalan Parliament Term length Four years | |
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Style El Molt Honorable Senyor (The Right Honourable) | ||
The President of the Generalitat of Catalonia (Catalan: President de la Generalitat de Catalunya, [pɾəziˈðen də ɫə ʒənəɾəɫiˈtat də kətəˈɫuɲə]) is one of the bodies that the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia stipulates as part of the Generalitat de Catalunya, others being the Parliament, the government, the Consell de Garanties Estatutàries or the Síndic de Greuges. The president also serves as head of government of Catalonia, leading the executive branch of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Catalan government. Its incumbent as of 2016 is Carles Puigdemont.
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The President Nowadays
The President is elected by the Parliament of Catalonia and appointed by the King of Spain. The office has both representative and governmental functions.
Representative Functions
The President holds the highest representation of the Generalitat and the ordinary of Spain in Catalonia. They are also in charge of the diplomatic relations with the other bodies of the state and with the various Autonomous communities of Spain Catalonia shares interests with. The President is also responsible for calling for elections (which must be done at least every four years) and appointing the Consellers and other high offices as stipulated by law. As ordinary representative of the state in Catalonia, they promulgate laws in the region in name of the king.
Governmental Functions
The President is member of the Catalan government and leads and coordinates it. They select and may dismiss the Consellers, call for a meeting of the executive, and act as its chairperson. Further, they sign decrees accorded by the execuitive and order them to be published. They can also call for an extraordinary meeting of the Catalan parliament which, given the case, can be ordered to be dissolved or hold a general debate.
Moreover, the president must coordinate the legislative agenda of its government, the elaboration of general normatives and give all the information that parliament may decide to request.