Dr. Josep Sánchez Llibre
Josep Sánchez Llibre, President of Foment del Treball Nacional, Vice-President of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations, former member of the Parliament of Catalonia and of the Congress of Deputies, former senator, and honorary member of the Royal European Academy of Doctors (READ), will seek a third term at the head of Catalonia’s leading employers’ association after its Board of Directors announced an election brought forward by two months, calling the vote for 18 May. If no other candidacy is submitted ten days before that date, as has happened in recent elections, the President will automatically renew his position and complete what would be his third term.
When announcing his intention to stand again for the Presidency of Foment, the academic stated that he felt strong enough to complete the remaining work and outlined some of the main lines of his future candidacy. “I feel I have the strength and the desire, and within the board, there is optimism because things have gone relatively well, and we must continue working to increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and lower the tax burden on businesses and families. There are many things still to be done that we have not yet completed,” he said. Among his future objectives, the President and candidate pointed to abolishing the wealth tax, reducing and granting rebates on inheritance and gift taxes, indexing the personal income tax so that families have more resources, and allowing depreciation for SMEs. “Catalonia is living in a tax hell; we must work to change these policies and, at the same time, facilitate access to housing, achieve efficient infrastructures and move towards administrative simplification,” he affirmed.
Foment del Treball headquarters building
As for the work already done, Sánchez Llibre expressed satisfaction with Foment’s role in restoring political normality and in bringing many companies back to Catalonia that had moved their registered headquarters during the sovereignist procés, as well as in helping to unlock the expansion project at Barcelona–El Prat Airport. However, he stressed the urgency of resolving road mobility problems and implementing a railway investment plan that would once and for all put an end to the long-standing problems of the Rodalies commuter rail service. The READ honorary academic also highlighted the broad consensus within the employers’ association on all these matters, recalling that, at present, there is no internal critical faction.
Sánchez Llibre has been honoured with the Award of the Association of Self-Employed Workers of Catalonia, the Bernardo O’Higgins Medal granted by the Government of Chile, is an honorary member of the Illustrious Official College of Commercial and Business Graduates of Barcelona, has received the Foment del Treball Medal of Honour for Business Achievement, the Gold and Diamond Badge of RCD Espanyol, the Gold Medal of the Order of the Chambers of Commerce of the Council of Chambers of Commerce, the Red Cross Medal for his personal commitment and involvement with the institution and its humanitarian emergency programme “Creu Roja Respon,” the Medal of Honour of Automobile Barcelona, is an honorary member of the Registry of Economist Auditors of the General Council of Economists, has received the Gaudí Gresol Award for Notoriety and Excellence in the category of Business Leadership, and is the author of the book “Les veritats de l’Estatut.”
