Josep Maria Trias de Bes, who served as a deputy for CiU and PP, has died in Barcelona at 81. His career spanned key moments in Spanish politics. The funeral will be held in Sant Gervasi.
Josep Maria Trias de Bes, a longtime presence in Spanish politics, has died in Barcelona at 81. His death was confirmed by the Sant Gervasi funeral home, where the public can pay their respects before the ceremony scheduled for tomorrow.
Born in Madrid in 1944 to a Barcelona family, Trias de Bes entered public life during the Franco era, first aligning with the PSUC. He trained as a lawyer and went on to serve as a deputy for Convergència i Unió (CiU) from 1980 to 1993, holding roles as secretary and later vice president of the Congress’s governing body.
According to La Vanguardia, Trias de Bes served as secretario cuarto of the Spanish Congress from 1982 to 1989 and as vicepresidente cuarto from 1989 to 1993.
His political path was marked by several sharp turns. After a falling out with Jordi Pujol and leaving Convergència Democràtica (CDC), he led the Partido Popular’s Barcelona ticket in 1996 and won a seat in Congress. His time there was short. The government of José María Aznar appointed him to lead the state-owned shipping company Trasmediterránea, where he oversaw preparations for its privatization before stepping down in 1999.
Trias de Bes spent several years away from frontline politics. In 2009, he briefly joined Unión Progreso y Democracia (UPyD), the party founded by Rosa Díez, showing he remained interested in Spain’s changing political scene. His career, with its shifts between parties and roles, reflected the turbulence and realignments of Spanish politics in the late twentieth century.
His death comes as the legacy of Spain’s transition-era politicians is being re-examined. The opening of his funeral chapel in Sant Gervasi is expected to draw people from across the political spectrum, a sign of his wide connections and complicated public image. His passing follows other recent high-profile departures from Spanish political life, such as the resignation of Ceuta’s government chief amid internal disputes.
Multiple independent Spanish media, including ARA and EFE, confirm that Trias de Bes died in Barcelona at the age of 81, with the farewell ceremony scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the Sant Gervasi funeral home. After his parliamentary career, he was appointed to lead the state shipping company Trasmediterránea, where he played a key role in preparing it for privatization.
La Vanguardia
Trias de Bes’s career shows how shifting alliances and personal choices have shaped Spain’s modern political system. His movement between parties and institutions was typical of a generation navigating the uncertainties of post-Franco Spain. Being trusted with the privatization of a major state company suggests that even those outside his original political circle valued his administrative skills. As Spain continues to debate its political transition, the passing of figures like Trias de Bes is a reminder that the country’s recent history is still unsettled, and that the lines between conviction, pragmatism, and ambition are rarely clear.
