Jordi Turull, the resilient party man

MP Jordi Turull is a resilient party member, as can be seen from his political career. He was a senior official of a now defunct regionalist party who became a leading center-right figure in the independence movement, and who was one of the main players in organizing the October 1 referendum. Now, while many key officials in last autumn’s clash with Spain have given up politics following the legal action taken against them by Spain, Turull is still standing and willing to become the new Catalan president –in the meantime, he had to spend some time in prison for his role in the independence bid.

In politics since the eighties

Due to be sworn in on March 22, Turull has been involved in institutional politics his whole life. His involvement in politics began in the eighties, as a member of the Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya (CDC) party –the predecessor of the pro-independence PDeCAT party–, the center-right regionalist ruling force in Catalonia for more than 20 years. Turull has held several political offices. His political career began as a local councilor in his hometown of Parets del Vallès, in the Barcelona area. In 2004, his political career took a leap forward, when he won a seat in the Catalan parliament.

Defending a referendum in Madrid

Six years after becoming an MP, he became the party spokesman in parliament, and then the chairman of his parliamentary group. On April 2014, he went to the Spanish Congress, along with other Catalan MPs, to defend the holding of a referendum on independence in Catalonia. Yet the Spanish legislative chamber turned down the Catalan parliament's proposal.

After the 2015 election, he continued being the chairman of his parliamentary group. Yet this time it was the Junts pel Sí coalition, including CDC and Esquerra Republicana (ERC). In the run-up of the October 1 referendum, Carles Puigdemont appointed him as spokesman for the Catalan government and presidency minister. He played a key role in the organization of the independence vote –and is paying a high price for it.

Ministers sent to prison

"No one can be judged for doing something that is not a crime," said Turull before the referendum on independence was held. However, following the Catalan parliament's independence declaration on October 27, the Spanish government dismissed all the members of the Catalan government, including Turull. Some days later, on November 2, he was sent to prison, along with other Catalan ministers.