Josep Lluís Cleries: from managing scouts and volunteers to Social Welfare and Family policies

Barcelona (ACN).- The new Minister for Social Welfare and Family was a harsh and constant critic of the former Left-Wing Coalition Government in this area. He was the Catalan Parliament’s spokesperson on these issues from the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coaliation (CiU). Cleries was, between 1996 and 2003, Director General for Civic Action in the CiU’s successive Governments, led by Jordi Pujol. Now, Artur Mas rewards him for his constant hard work and gives him a seat in the new Catalan Government.

Josep Lluís Cleries was born in Barcelona in 1956. He graduated in Industrial Engineering and got a diploma in General Functions within Public Administration from ESADE. He was also awarded a diploma in Management Development in Public Administration from the IESE. Over the course of his career, Cleries headed several social projects, was involved in scouting, childhood problems, and the Christian faith. Cleries has volunteered for several Catholic Church projects and has also been Activities Director for child and juvenile issues at the Pere Tarrés Institute.

Among his institutional responsibilities, Cleries was the Manager of the Catalan Institute of Volunteering (INCAVOL), between 1993 and 1995. Later, he was Director General for Civic Action at the Catalan Government. In the last CDC Congress, he was appointed as the CDC’s Secretary for the Welfare State and Family Support. Cleries benefited from the 7 years at the opposition, combing the country and meeting many civil society organisations. This enabled him to establish first-hand knowledge of their concrete and individual problems and concerns, and to create complicity between the CiU and these associations.