Lluís Gratallops

Lluís Gratallops ORLJ
Gratallops in 2021.
Prime Minister of the Rodaves
In office 9 May 1998 – 2 April 2006
Monarch	Caterina Sofia
Deputy	Josuè Botxí Marc Flors Julià Tremp
Preceded by	Joan Gerard Cerc
Succeeded by	Domènec Duesaigües
In office 21 September 2009 – 4 February 2011
Monarch	Lluís Josep IV
Preceded by	Domènec Duesaigües
Succeeded by	Pere Martí
President of Vinga Rodagues
In office 16 October 1997 – 20 June 2013
Succeeded by	Eduard Crescas
Leader of the Opposition
In office 2 April 2006 – 21 September 2009
Preceded by	Domènec Duesaigües
Succeeded by	Raül Cardedeu
In office 4 February 2011 – 20 June 2013
Preceded by	Raül Cardedeu
Succeeded by	Eduard Crescas
Member of Parliament
In office 12 March 1998 – 20 June 2013
Constituency	Les Franqueses del Vallès
Personal details
Born	Lluís Antoni Gratallops i Agricola (1951-02-20) 20 February 1951 L'Aldea, Rodaves
Political party	Leading Our Future (2014-Present)
Other political affiliations	Vinga Rodagues (1997–2014)
Spouses	Carla Ossó de Sió (m. 1975; div. 1988) Victòria Torrelavit (m. 1990; div. 2010)
Domestic partners	Francesca Puigverd (2013–2020) Maria Falset (2020–present)
Children	At least 6
Parents	Ferran Lluís Gratallops i Subirats Ona Agricola i Pinell
Residence(s)	L'Aldea, Rodaves
Education	University of L'Aldea
Awards	List of honours and decorations
Net worth	UD$8.0 billion (as of 30 April 2021)
Signature
Website	www.vingagratallops.ro

Lluís Antoni Gratallops i Agricola, ORLJ (born 20 February 1951) is a Rodavese politician, chemist, and businessman who served as Prime Minister of the Rodaves from 1998 to 2006 and again from 2009 to 2011. Gratallops was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1998 to 2013 for Les Franqueses del Vallès, covering the outer and eastern districts of L'Aldea. He is the most recent Prime Minister of the Rodaves not to be a member of the National Workers' Union (UNO).

Gratallops is the controlling shareholder of Mitivest and owned the Rodavese football club L'Aldea C.F.C. from 1996 to 2017. He has been consistently ranked as one of the richest men in the world with a net worth of UD$8.0 billion. He has also been ranked throughout the 2000s as one of the most powerful men in the world for his domination of Rodavese politics as the president of Vinga Rodagues for fifteen years.

Gratallops served as Prime Minister for over nine years in total, making him the longest serving Prime Minister in the modern era of Rodavese politics. He was also the youngest Prime Minister ever elected at the time of the 1998 election. Gratallops was the leader of the right wing Vinga Rodagues from 1997 to 2013. Since 2017, he has been a devout supporter for Leading Our Future, the successor to his Vinga Rodagues party, hosting several campaign rallies for the party.

On 12 December 2013, he was convicted of tax fraud by the High Court of Justice of the Rodaves, confirming his four-year prison sentence along with a public office ban for two years. Because he had been sentenced to a gross imprisonment for more than two years, a new Rodavese anti-corruption law led to the Generalitat expelling and barring him from serving in any legislative office for five years.

Gratallops is internationally known for his populist political style and brash personality. He still remains a controversial figure who divides public opinion and political analysts. Supporters emphasize his leadership skills and charismatic power, his fiscal policy based on tax reduction, and his ability to maintain strong and close foreign relations with the United Dominions. In general, critics address his performance as a politician, the ethics of his government practices in relation to his business holdings, and unnecessary interference in wars overseas. He has been accused of having mismanaged the state budget and of increasing the Rodavese government debt. He has also been heavily criticized for vigorous pursuit of his personal interests while in office, including benefitting from his own companies' growth due to policies promoted by his governments, and being blackmailed as leader because of his turbulent private life.

Early Life

Photograph of Gratallops in 1982 in L'Aldea.

Born and raised in L'Aldea on the coast of Montagut in an upper middle-class family. His father, Ferran Lluís Gratallops i Subirats (1923-2004), worked in the Rodavese railroad industry, and his mother Mariona "Ona" Agricola i Pinell (1926-2020), served as a housewife. Lluís was the first of three children, he has a sister, Maria Francesca Gratallops i Agricola (born 1958) and a brother, Lluc Gratallops (born 1964). He studied at the Escola Santa Llúcia, located in inner L'Aldea. He later moved from the Escola Santa Llúcia to the Institut Antoni d'Oristà, a public high school.

After completing his secondary school education, he studied chemical engineering at the University of L'Aldea, graduating with honours in 1976. During his university studies, he played guitar and sang in a rock band called "Rumors Lletjos" ("Ugly Rumours"), and performed some stand-up comedy.

In 1975, he married Carla Ossó de Sió after meeting her at university, and they had two children: Maria (born 1979), and Pere (born 1982).

Business Career

Síntesi

Main article: Sintesi

He became involved in the media industry setting up a small cable television company. After expanding and creating the media group Mitivest, which expanded into a country-wide network of local TV stations.

He became involved in the pharmaceutical industry setting up the small business Síntesi producing chemical compounds. After not seeing much success, Gratallops shifted to focusing on pharmaceutical research. Sintesi developed a drug discovery program focused on in vitro synthesis to augment its research in fermentation technology. In 1989, the company established an animal health division.

Logo for Síntesi (1996—2001)

In the 1990s, the company would expand domestically and abroad, establishing offices in several other countries. In 1990, Sintesi would move it's headquarters out of L'Aldea to Cartaganca.

The company grew in size and acquired the Rodavese pharmaceutical companies Laboratoris Rajoler and Laboratoris Guineu.

Mitivest

Main article: Mitivest

Gratallops attending a board meeting, in the 1980s

In 1993, Gratallops would eventually consolidate his pharmaceutical brand under self-established holding group Mitivest. In the five years leading up to the 1998 election he earned some 250 million Rodavese florí ($62.5 million). The funding sources are still unknown because of its complex holding company system, despite investigations conducted by various state attorneys.

Gratallops would heavily involve itself in the finance and investment industries. With Toni Ullal he founded Riquesa Precisa, one of the country's biggest banking and insurance groups. Gratallops also would invest in major banks, with Mitivest controlling about 1% of Banc Estandard.

Mitivest would purchase media outlets and TV stations as well. In 1994, Mitivest completed an acquisition of Emissora Nacional (EN), one of the largest public broadcasters in the Rodaves. Mitivest would only sell the business in October 2019.

Gratallops would expand his influence in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries with Mitivest taking large stakes in the majority-government owned healthcare company SSR. Mitivest's most notable acquisition came in 1995 with its buyout of the largest pharmaceutical company in the country Préssec for $54.5 billion. Mitivest would greatly benefit from Gratallops and his party's healthcare legislation, spearheaded by the 2002 private healthcare bill which would greatly reduce the government's association with the SSR and give more benefits to private healthcare providers.

In 2008, after the Duesaigües government had weakened private involvement in the healthcare industry, Mitivest would sell Préssec and sell off almost half their shares of the SSR.

On 9 July 2012, a Cartaganca court ordered Mitivest to pay 2.2 billion florís in damages to Alemnar Group in a long-running legal dispute. Mitivest's voting rights on Riquesa Precisa was also capped at 9.9999% by Rodaves Insurance Supervisory Authority despite owning about 36% share capital of the financial conglomerate.

In 2013, Gratallops was forced by the High Court of Justice of the Rodaves to give up at least half of his ownership of Mitivest and Mitivest would have to sell off their remaining shares of the SSR. While Gratallops would no longer majority-own Mitivest Holding, he was still the largest shareholder and would serve as chairman until his resignation on 16 December 2013 in favor of his daughter, Maria

On 5 August 2016, Mitivest announced the signing of a preliminary agreement to sell all of their shares of L'Aldea C.F.C. abroad. The deal was scheduled to be finalized by the end of 2016. On 13 April 2017, Gratallops sold L'Aldea to Fontcoberta Sport Investment for a total of $830 million after a 24-year reign.

Political Career

Gratallops rapidly rose to the forefront of Rodavese politics in May 1998. He was elected to the Generalitat for the first time and appointed as Prime Minister following the 1998 Rodavese general election, when Vinga Rodagues gained a plurality a mere seven months after having been launched. During his first term his popularity soared due to several factors including a rebounding economy after a sluggish four years during the second Cerc government. In the July 2001 snap general election, Gratallops' party Vinga Rodagues would win the largest majority in modern Rodavese history. In the July 2005 general election Vinga Rodagues would lose their majority but would hold on to a large plurality in the Generalitat. Despite this, a broad opposition coalition would oust Gratallops as Prime Minister in April 2006. After Domènec Duesaigües resigned from leadership in his party the Union for Rodavese Democracy (UDR), Gratallops would win the July 2009 general election, regaining a majority in parliament.

In September 2010, the Gratallops government would face a criminal investigation lead by the opposition that would lead to the January 2011 snap general election, in which Gratallops was defeated by centre-left candidate Pere Martí. He would remain the opposition leader until he was forced to resign by the High Court of Justice and sentenced to four years in prison and a ten year ban from politics.

He was criticized for his increasingly right-wing populist positions following his success, his policies that often boosted his own financial interests and his hawkish foreign policy that would see Rodavese troops be sent abroad to XXXX and XXXX. His governments were also undermined by corruption and sex-related allegations during his tenure.

Beginnings

Gratallops during a meeting in May 1994

On 16 October 1997, Gratallops would found the political party Vinga Rodagues in opposition to the status quo and de facto two-party system in the Rodaves. Gratallops spent most of his business career as a large donor to the National Workers' Union (UNO) and a supporter of the Bellmunt government. He declared himself an independent before the 1994 Rodavese general election, describing his beliefs as "populist and pro-worker". Gratallops was often critical of Prime Minister Joan Gerard Cerc and later opposition leader Antoni Peris, describing the latter as "weak" and "detached from the average Rodavese".

The second Cerc government imposed socially liberal and moderate fiscal policies but was often ineffective and was increasingly corrupt with several financial scandals. While Cerc himself was never been indicted on corruption charges, he consistently was called out for defending UDR politicians that were involved in scandals. Cerc would see an approval rating of only 8% at the end of his second term. The UNO also suffered under the unpopular leadership of Peris. The Socialist Party (PSOR) in mid-1996 was expected to make significant gains as the largest party outside the UDR and UNO, however the party would suffer from internal disagreements and would eventually fracture in April 2000. With many looking for an alternative, Gratallops would announce his entrance into politics on 19 August 1997 and would found Vinga Rodagues (Forward Rodaves) two months later.

Gratallops would campaign on ending the status quo and bringing about reform for the common man. Gratallops claimed he would boost the economy by mending the divide between business and workers, and that he would create "one million more jobs by the end of the millennium". Gratallops advocated for scrapping the carbon tax in favor of incentives to eco-friendly businesses. Gratallops would promise to improve the income tax system and financing major public works programs. He would also promise to improve security and decrease organized crime by funding police and introducing police regiments to smaller cities.

First Gratallops government

Gratallops would launch a massive campaign, including heavily broadcasting on media owned by Mitivest. He subsequently won the elections, with 31.9% of the vote and winning 147 seats in the Generalitat, more than any other party. Gratallops would quickly find allies in the National Alliance and the Free and Liberal Party as the parties most closely aligned ideological wise with Vinga Rodagues. The Beoist Union would also agree to support Gratallops as Prime Minister.

Gratallops during a parliamentary session in July 1998

After the election the UNO would oust Antoni Peris as party leader and his replacement Miquel Balaguer would agree to support a government lead by Vinga Rodagues. Gratallops was sworn in as prime minister by Queen Caterina Sofia on 9 May 1998. Aged 47, Gratallops became the youngest person to become prime minister in the modern era.

Personal Life and Controversies

Marriage and sex life

Gratallops with his then-partner Victòria Torrelavit, at a parliamentary dinner in 2007

For thirteen years, he was married to Carla Ossó de Sió, a doctor whom he met at university. They had Gratallops' first two children together: Maria (born 1979), and Pere (born 1982). In November 1988, they would announce their divorce.

A few months after his split from Ossó de Sió was announced, a Rodavese website published details of a relationship between Gratallops and journalist Victòria Torrelavit. In April 1989, Torrelavit confirmed and openly discussed her relationship with Gratallops in an interview with the Rodavese weekly Tele 7 Dies. She would live with Gratallops in his L'Aldea villa, Vila al Llac and after he became prime minister, Sanguinari Palace and would start to accompany him on official travel. The two officially announced their marriage in 1990. Torrelavit would be Gratallops' longest marriage, staying with Torrelavit for twenty years until they divorced in 2010. They had three children together: Màxim (born 1990), Esteve (born 1992), and Helena (born 1995).

On 26 June 2010, Torrelavit officially announced her divorce from Gratallops, citing her disapproval of his open sex life and disregard for his family, claiming Gratallops failed to attend two of his sons' birthdays that year.

On 6 August 2010, Penèlope Cavalcada, a 42-year-old escort and retired actress, claimed that she had been recruited twice to spend the evening with Gratallops. Gratallops denied any knowledge of Cavalcada being a paid escort. He claimed Cavalcada was being maneuvered and bribed.

During a contested episode of Anualment on 16 October 2010, the journalist and presenter Aleix Jonqueres interviewed Penèlope Cavalcada. She stated she was contacted by an unspecified businessman from L'Aldea who already knew her and requested her presence at Vila al Llac with "the Prime Minister". Cavalcada also stated that Gratallops knew that she was a paid escort