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Josep Sánchez Llibre Re-elected President of Foment del Treball Until 2030

The president of the Catalan employers' association has been re-elected unopposed for a third term, aiming to unblock budgets and reduce taxes.

Generic image of two people shaking hands in a business setting.
IA

Generic image of two people shaking hands in a business setting.

Josep Sánchez Llibre has been re-elected president of Foment del Treball until 2030, unopposed. The Catalan employers' association will seek to unblock the Generalitat's budgets and deepen relations with the government.

Josep Sánchez Llibre has retained the presidency of Foment del Treball, the main Catalan employers' association, for a third consecutive term. The re-election occurred without opposition, consolidating his leadership until 2030. The event, held at the association's headquarters on Via Laietana, was attended by prominent figures from the Catalan and Spanish private sector, including the president of the CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, and the chairman of Banc Sabadell, Josep Oliu.
The term Sánchez Llibre is now beginning has been described as "continuist" and has the support of 290 members. One of the first priorities will be to "deepen the relationship with the Generalitat" to unblock the budgets and avoid further extensions, as he believes "a country without public accounts cannot function." While expressing optimism about a potential agreement between the PSC and ERC, he warned against an "increase in tax pressure on companies and families in Catalonia."
In line with his program, Sánchez Llibre has advocated for "tax cuts and eliminations" and "regulatory stability" for the private sector. Proposals include the abolition of the wealth tax and reforms to inheritance and gift taxes, as well as the deflation of personal income tax. "We want sustainable public services, and this is achieved by broadening the tax base with more activity, not by always burdening those who comply," he stated.
The employers' association also focuses on improving Catalan infrastructure, with a historical deficit estimated at 50 billion euros. In the energy sector, Foment supports extending the operational life of nuclear power plants. Another major challenge will be the "fight against labor absenteeism," which they consider a "silent emergency" hindering productivity. The goal is to reduce the absenteeism rate from the current 5.5% to 4%, the level recorded in 2019, which would result in savings of 16 billion euros.
During the event, the president of the CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, criticized the Spanish government's "sectarianism and radicalism" regarding labor regulation and lamented the "demonization" of entrepreneurs. He defended "unity" among business organizations as key to their negotiating power.

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