Generalitat Valenciana

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Generalitat Valenciana
Estendard Generalitat Valenciana.svg
Emblem of the Generalitat Valenciana
Imagotip de la Generalitat Valenciana.svg
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Agency overview
Formed1238 (Corts forals valencianes) 1418 (Diputació General) 1978 (Consell del País Valencià) 1982 (Generalitat Valenciana)
Jurisdiction Valencian Community
Headquarters Palau de la Generalitat Valenciana
Employees228,453 (2010)
Minister responsible

The Generalitat Valenciana [lower-alpha 1] is the generic name covering the different self-government institutions under which the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia is politically organized.

Contents

It consists of seven institutions including the Corts Valencianes (or autonomous Parliament), the President of the Generalitat, or the autonomous government itself (or Consell). Its functions are regulated by the Valencian Statute of Autonomy. Despite being also present in various cities of the Valencian Community, the main locations of the autonomous Parliament, presidency of the Generalitat and the Consell are all in the city of Valencia. There is also an office in Brussels appointed by the Generalitat Valenciana lobbying before the European Union.

President of the Generalitat

The current President of the Generalitat Valenciana is Carlos Mazón of the People's Party of the Valencian Community (People's Party). He assumed the Presidency in July 2023 and took office in Les Corts in the same month, as the head of a coalition between the PP and Vox.

History

The Generalitat Valenciana was created in 1418. It acted, along with the Monarch shared with the other territories of the Crown of Aragon, as the ruling body of the Kingdom of Valencia. Originally its posts were designated for three year terms. In 1510, the process of designating posts was reorganized, becoming more automatic and less elective. This re-organization stayed the same until 1709, when it was abolished as a consequence of the War of the Spanish Succession and the subsequent Nueva Planta decrees, along with the other fueros of the Kingdom of Valencia.

The Generalitat Valenciana was not re-established until 1982, after the corresponding Valencian Statute of Autonomy was approved.

El Consell

El Consell consists of eight members, each the leader of an institution. These institutions are:

Education, Culture, and Sports
in charge of education, formal training, universities, sciences, promotion of cultural heritage, language policy, and sports. [1]
Treasury and Public Administrations
responsible for finance, the Valencian business sector, public service, and information technology and management communication. [2]
Health
responsible for health services and public health. [3]
Planning and Environment
responsible for public works, land and coastline planning, housing and building quality, transportation, ports and airports, environment, landscape, and climate change. [4]
Social Welfare
responsible for policies affecting social services, dependence, the disabled, family, children, adoptions, youth, women, and immigration. [5]
Government and Justice
responsible for civil protection, management of the National Police assigned to Valencia, prevention and extinction of fires, management of emergency situations, statutory development, consultations, professional associations, and notarial records. [6]
Economics, Industry, and Employment
in charge of the economy, business sector, agriculture, industry, craftsmanship, domestic and foreign trade, consumerism, and investigation and innovation of technology and energy. [7]
Agriculture, Fishing, Food and Water
responsible for establishing and maintaining relations with other countries of the European Union, other Autonomous Communities, local administrations, and citizens. [8]

Institutions

La Generalitat Valenciana comprises seven institutions:

Les Corts Valencianes

The Corts Valencianes is the Valencian Parliament. It represents the people of Valencia via the members of parliament. These members are elected using a universal, direct, free, and secret vote. It is made up of 75-100 members, which are determined by the Statute of Autonomy and through the voting process. The Statute of Autonomy also requires any candidate running for a Seat must "stand for a party or coalition that obtains more than 5% of the given votes in all the Autonomous Community." The D'Hondt method is used to distribute Seats. In the VIII Term, 35 members of Parliament were elected in the Alicante district, 24 members in the Castellon district, and 40 in the Valencia district. [9]

The Statute of Autonomy dedicates Chapter II of Title III to the Valencian Parliament, which only outlines the composition of the Parliament, the basic principles of the election system, their corresponding duties, and sets out a general outline of the Statute of the Members of Parliament. The Valencian Parliament Regulations were developed in addition to the Statute of Autonomy to govern the organization and functioning of this Institution. On March 4, 1983, the first draft of the Valencian Parliament Regulations was approved during the Transitional Phase. Since then, it has undergone several modifications, which were approved by the Valencian Parliament on December 18, 2006. The contemporary Corts Valencianes differs from its historical counterpart of the same name. The former Corts Valencianes was organized into three arms – Ecclesiastic, Military, and Royal – which had different duties than the Corts today. [10]

Consell Valencià de Cultura

The Consell Valencià de Cultura (Valencian Council of Culture) is a consultation and advisory institution for the Generalitat Valenciana for affairs related to Valencian culture. It defends and promotes the region's cultural and linguistic values. The Council's headquarters are located in the city of Valencia, but has also held sessions in Valencian municipal centers such as Castelló de la Plana, Alacant, Morella, Elx, and Vilafamés. [11]

Comité Econòmic i Social

The Economic and Social Committee is a body of the government that provides consultations on economic, social, labor, and employment matters. It is also a part of the public institutions of Valencia. [12]

Sindicatura de Comptes

The Sindicatura de Comptes, or Audit Office in English, is responsible for the external audit of the economic and financial activity of the public sector in the Valencian Community. This institution of the Generalitat reports to the Corts Valencianes, or Valencian Parliament, but maintains functional independence. [13]

Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua

The Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua, or Valencian Academy of Language, was founded in 1998. It is the official governing body over the native language of the region, Valencian. Like the Sindicatura de Comptes, this institution maintains functional independence but works under the Corts Valencianes. The institution's purpose is to define and draw up linguistic rules and safeguard the Valencian language on the basis of its lexicographic and literary tradition and its actual linguistic reality, as well as the established Normes de Castelló (Castello Norms) that were approved in 1932. [14]

Síndic de Greuges

The Ombudsman of the Valencian Region was established through Ley 11/1988. This office defend the fundamental rights and public freedoms recognized in the Spanish Constitution and Valencian Statute of Autonomy. The ombudsman is elected for a period of five years and may be re-elected. [15]

Consell Jurídic Consultiu

The Legal Advisory Council of the Valencian government is the supreme branch of the Consell, Regional Administration, and local governments that consults in legal matters. [16]

Debt of the Generalitat

In 2014, the government will try to enforce privatizations to try to stop the debt and balance the debt of the Generalitat. To lower debt, the Consell will sell assets and outsource waste treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, housing, and infrastructure as a means to generate income. The goal is to raise $300 million to address its problems, primarily to pay off the debts of the Generalitat, which is one of the departments that went over budget. The Generalitat is the third department to go over budget, after Sanitation and Education. Money to some departments, such as education, will be reduced. Other departments' budgets, such as Justice and Social Welfare, will receive a slight increase. [17]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Valencian pronunciation: [dʒeneɾaliˈtadvalensiˈana]

Related Research Articles

Generalitat is the name of two major medieval and early modern political institutions and their modern-day analogues in Kingdom of Spain. The ancient Principality of Catalonia and the Kingdom of Valencia were ruled by Generalitats. Today, Catalonia and The Valencian Community have systems of self-government called Generalitats, and are two of 17 autonomous communities of Spain. The term is also used for the government of the semi-autonomous comarca of Val d'Aran, the Generalitat a l'Aran.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corts Valencianes</span> Main legislative body of the Valencian Community, Spain

The Corts Valencianes, commonly known as Les Corts, are the main legislative body of the Generalitat Valenciana and therefore of the Valencian Community. The main location of the Corts is in the Palace of the Borgias in Valencia; however it can meet at any location in the Valencian lands. The Corts has its origins in bodies established in the thirteenth century by King James I of Aragon. The modern institution was established in 1982 under the Valencian statute of autonomy of 1982. The current Corts were elected in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valencian Community</span> Autonomous community of Spain

The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid with more than five million inhabitants. Its homonymous capital Valencia is the third largest city and metropolitan area in Spain. It is located along the Mediterranean coast on the east side of the Iberian Peninsula. It borders Catalonia to the north, Aragon and Castilla–La Mancha to the west, and Murcia to the south, and the Balearic Islands are to its east. The Valencian Community is divided into three provinces: Castellón, Valencia and Alicante.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983 Valencian regional election</span>

The 1983 Valencian regional election was held on Sunday, 8 May 1983, to elect the 1st Corts of the Valencian Community. All 89 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 Valencian regional election</span>

The 1987 Valencian regional election was held on Wednesday, 10 June 1987, to elect the 2nd Corts of the Valencian Community. All 89 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain, as well as the 1987 European Parliament election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 Valencian regional election</span>

The 2003 Valencian regional election was held on Sunday, 25 May 2003, to elect the 6th Corts of the Valencian Community. All 89 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Valencian regional election</span> Regional election in Valencia, Spain

The 2007 Valencian regional election was held on Sunday, 27 May 2007, to elect the 7th Corts of the Valencian Community. All 99 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Valencian regional election</span>

The 2011 Valencian regional election was held on Sunday, 22 May 2011, to elect the 8th Corts of the Valencian Community. All 99 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of the Valencian Government</span>

The president of the Valencian Government is the head of the Generalitat Valenciana, the government of the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia. The president is chosen by the Valencian parliament, the Corts Valencianes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Valencian regional election</span> Regional election in Valencia, Spain

The 2015 Valencian regional election was held on Sunday, 24 May 2015, to elect the 9th Corts of the Valencian Community. All 99 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in twelve other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Valencian regional election</span> Municipal election in Valencia, Spain

The 2019 Valencian regional election was held on Sunday, 28 April 2019, to elect the 10th Corts of the Valencian Community. All 99 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with the April 2019 Spanish general election. This was the first early regional election ever held in the Valencian Community, as well as the first Valencian election to not be held concurrently with other regional elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alicante (Corts Valencianes constituency)</span>

Alicante is one of the three constituencies represented in the Corts Valencianes, the regional legislature of the Valencian Community. The constituency currently elects 35 deputies. Its boundaries correspond to those of the Spanish province of Alicante. The electoral system uses the D'Hondt method and a closed-list proportional representation, with a minimum threshold of five percent regionally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castellón (Corts Valencianes constituency)</span>

Castellón is one of the three constituencies represented in the Corts Valencianes, the regional legislature of the Valencian Community. The constituency currently elects 24 deputies. Its boundaries correspond to those of the Spanish province of Castellón. The electoral system uses the D'Hondt method and a closed-list proportional representation, with a minimum threshold of five percent regionally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valencia (Corts Valencianes constituency)</span>

Valencia is one of the three constituencies represented in the Corts Valencianes, the regional legislature of the Valencian Community. The constituency currently elects 40 deputies. Its boundaries correspond to those of the Spanish province of Valencia. The electoral system uses the D'Hondt method and a closed-list proportional representation, with a minimum threshold of five percent regionally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First government of Ximo Puig</span>

The first government of Ximo Puig was formed on 30 June 2015, following the latter's election as President of the Valencian Government by the Corts Valencianes on 25 June and his swearing-in on 28 June, as a result of the Socialist Party of the Valencian Country (PSPV–PSOE) and Commitment Coalition (Compromís) being able to muster a majority of seats in the Parliament with external support from We Can (Podemos) following the 2015 Valencian regional election. It succeeded the Fabra government and was the Valencian Government from 30 June 2015 to 17 June 2019, a total of 1,448 days, or 3 years, 11 months and 18 days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Valencian regional election</span>

The 2023 Valencian regional election was held on Sunday, 28 May 2023, to elect the 11th Corts of the Valencian Community. All 99 seats in the Corts were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with regional elections in eleven other autonomous communities and local elections all throughout Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second government of Ximo Puig</span>

The second government of Ximo Puig was formed on 17 June 2019, following the latter's election as President of the Valencian Government by the Corts Valencianes on 13 June and his swearing-in on 15 June, as a result of the Socialist Party of the Valencian Country (PSPV–PSOE) emerging as the largest parliamentary force at the 2019 regional election. It succeeded the first Puig government and was the Valencian Government from 17 June 2019 to 19 July 2023, a total of 1,493 days, or 4 years, 1 month and 2 days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emilio Argüeso Torres</span> Spanish politician

Emilio Argüeso Torres is a Spanish politician, lawyer and criminologist. He is a senator by appointment in the Senate of Spain representing the Valencian Parliament or Cortes Valencianas. He was appointed into the Senate of Spain by the Valencian Parliament on 27 June 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Carlos Mazón</span>

The government of Carlos Mazón was formed on 19 July 2023, following the latter's election as President of the Valencian Government by the Corts Valencianes on 13 July and his swearing-in on 17 July, as a result of the People's Party (PP) emerging as the largest parliamentary force at the 2023 regional election. It succeeded the first Puig government and is the incumbent Valencian Government since 19 July 2023.

Rosa Serrano is a Spanish writer, translator, and editor of books in the Valencian language.

References

  1. ↑ Education, Culture, and Sports. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.gva.es/en/inicio/la_administracion_valenciana/lav_consellerias/lav_con_conselleria?id=459256
  2. ↑ Economic, Treasury, and Employment. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.gva.es/en/inicio/la_administracion_valenciana/lav_consellerias/lav_con_conselleria?id=459296
  3. ↑ Health. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.gva.es/en/inicio/la_administracion_valenciana/lav_consellerias/lav_con_conselleria?id=459315
  4. ↑ Environment, Water, Town Planning, and Housing http://www.gva.es/en/inicio/la_administracion_valenciana/lav_consellerias/lav_con_conselleria?id=459335
  5. ↑ Bienestar Social. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.gva.es/en/inicio/la_administracion_valenciana/lav_consellerias/lav_con_conselleria?id=459316
  6. ↑ Gobernación y Justicia. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.gva.es/en/inicio/la_administracion_valenciana/lav_consellerias/lav_con_conselleria?id=459337
  7. ↑ Economic, Industry and Employment. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.gva.es/en/inicio/la_administracion_valenciana/lav_consellerias/lav_con_conselleria?id=459277
  8. ↑ Presidencia y Agricultura, Pesca, Alimentación, y Agua. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.gva.es/en/inicio/la_administracion_valenciana/lav_consellerias/lav_con_conselleria?id=459295
  9. ↑ Que Son. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.cortsvalencianes.es/cs/Satellite/Layout/Page/1260974710698/QueSon.html?lang=en_GB
  10. ↑ Que Son. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.cortsvalencianes.es/cs/Satellite/Layout/Page/1260974710698/QueSon.html?lang=en_GB
  11. ↑ The Valencia Council of Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://cvc.gva.es/ingles/english.htm Archived 2013-11-10 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ Comité Económico y Social de la CV. (n.d.). Generalitat Valenciana. Retrieved from http://www.ces.gva.es/va_/index.htm
  13. ↑ Summary in English. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.sindicom.gva.es/web/wdweb.nsf/documento/summary
  14. ↑ Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.avl.gva.es/en/info.html
  15. ↑ What is the Síndic? (n.d.). Síndic de Greuges. Retrieved from http://www.elsindic.com/en/what-is-the-sindic.html
  16. ↑ ¿Qué es? (n.d.) Consell Juridic Consultiu de la Comunidad Valenciana. Retrieved from http://portales.gva.es/cjccv/castellano/que_es2.html Archived 2013-06-19 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ↑ Más privatizaciones para frenar la deuda. (2013, October 25). El País. Retrieved from http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2013/10/25/valencia/1382726302_327304.html
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