Josep Grau Seris, who served as mayor of Mollerussa and as Catalonia’s agriculture minister, has died at 80. Local and regional officials have recognized his decades of public service and the changes he brought to the region.
Josep Grau Seris, who led Mollerussa as mayor and later served as Catalonia’s agriculture minister, died in Barcelona on September 8, 2026, at the age of 80. His death was confirmed by the Mollerussa city council and the Associació Catalana de Municipis (ACM), which he once headed. Local officials and political colleagues have been quick to acknowledge his long career in public service and the influence he had on the city and the wider Pla d’Urgell region.
Grau was born in Mollerussa on November 8, 1945, and was also known for his work in the agricultural and food industries.
He entered politics in 1983 as a councillor for Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya. His three terms as mayor under Convergència i Unió left a lasting mark on Mollerussa, with the current city administration still referencing the changes made during his leadership. Grau also served as president of the ACM from 1996 to 1999, a period in which he helped strengthen Catalan municipal government.
After leaving the mayor’s office in 1999, Grau moved to the Catalan Parliament and was soon appointed as the Generalitat’s councillor for Agriculture, Ganadería y Pesca under President Jordi Pujol. He held the post from 1999 to 2003, focusing on rural development and agricultural policy. Colleagues and successors, including Òscar Ordeig, the current agriculture councillor, and José Crespín, subdelegate of the government in Lleida, have both highlighted Grau’s dedication to public service and his strong ties to the Lleida region.
Jordi Turull, secretary general of Junts, also noted Grau’s commitment to the agricultural sector and his connection to the land and people of Lleida and Catalonia. The Mollerussa city council, led by Marc Solsona Aixalà, issued a formal message of condolence and thanks, recognizing Grau’s years of service and the legacy he left at the local level.
Grau’s time as mayor is closely linked to the official creation of the Pla d’Urgell comarca and to Mollerussa’s role as its capital, a development often mentioned by regional media and confirmed by independent sources.
In Mollerussa, the response was immediate. The local government expressed condolences to Grau’s family and friends and pointed to the visible changes in the city’s infrastructure and civic life that date back to his time in office.
Recent events in Catalonia, including the deaths of public figures and incidents such as the wall collapse in Tarragona, have brought renewed attention to the importance of local leadership in difficult times.
Josep Grau Seris’s death marks the end of a significant chapter for Mollerussa and the Pla d’Urgell. His career shows how local leadership can shape a region’s future when it is guided by clear priorities and long-term commitment. The tributes from across the political spectrum reflect the respect he earned and the standards he set for public service in Catalonia.
