Graduated in Economics from the University of Barcelona was director of the Statistics section of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce in 1965.

Along with Miquel Roca i Junyet rode an study to whom Pere Duran Farell commissioned the Plan of the West Bank, which was the origin of the remodeling project of this neighborhood in the 90s.

With the return of the president Tarradellas, participated in the provisional autonomous government, as an advisor to Town and Country Planning and Public Works (1977-1979).

After the first democratic municipal elections, he was elected mayor of Barcelona in 1979, where he held until 1982.

In the general election of 1982 became Minister of Defense (1982)
In 1991 he served as Vice President of the government, a position he repeated after the 1993 elections.

He remained as vice president of the government until 1995. In 1996, became secretary general of the PSC, a post he left in 2000. He has been a member of Congress for the constituency of Barcelona between 1986 and 2004.
In 2005 he became president of Caixa Catalunya