On 20 November 1975, General Francisco Franco died. Under the democratically elected government of Adolfo Suarez that followed, Catalonia was granted autonomy, in 1977. The Catalan language was re-introduced to classrooms the following year. The Catalan Parliament held its first elections in 1980, and Jordi Pujol was elected as President of the Generalitat, holding office until 2003. During this time, as Catalonia modernised and opened itself to foreign markets, its economy, culture and language all flourished.