Madrid Times

España Viva: Your Window to Madrid and Beyond
Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026

Spain's Judiciary Under Scrutiny: Perelló Defends Judicial Independence Amid Political Tensions

Isabel Perelló calls for shielding judges from political and private sector influences amidst rising claims of bias.
In a bold reaffirmation of judicial autonomy, Isabel Perelló, President of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) and the Supreme Court in Spain, has vocally countered the growing skepticism surrounding the impartiality of the country's judges.

Perelló's remarks come at a critical juncture, as trust in judicial independence is perceived to be under siege from various political quarters.

In a statement characterized by candor, Perelló underscored the fundamental role of judicial independence as a cornerstone of the rule of law, advocating for an environment where judges can deliver verdicts untainted by external pressure.

Her comments were seemingly a direct rebuttal to recent assertions by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who had accused the opposition People's Party (PP) of exploiting the country's judicial landscape to its advantage, suggesting prejudiced motives behind judgments.

Perelló's insistence on nonpartisan judicial conduct and independence strikes a chord against the backdrop of ongoing friction between Spain's political factions.

The tension is palpably heightened by accusations and counter-accusations of judicial bias, risks that Perelló argues could undermine public confidence in the judiciary and erode institutional integrity.

Urging judicial adherence solely to the 'letter of the law,' Perelló emphasized the perils of both direct and indirect influences by powerful entities.

Her message resonates with the broader European ethos of judicial impartiality, further highlighted during the announcement of the 2024 Forum Europe award to Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament.

Metsola's commitment to the EU's core values dovetails with Perelló's call for safeguarding judicial tenets against undue pressures.

The debate over judicial objectivity in Spain is emblematic of a wider European discourse on the separation of powers.

As political narratives increasingly encroach upon judicial domains globally, Spain's experience serves both as a cautionary tale and a potential model for maintaining judicial integrity amidst political turmoil.

The coming months may well reveal the impact of these battles on Spain's democratic institutions, testing the resilience of its centuries-old commitment to justice.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
High-Speed Train Collision in Southern Spain Kills at Least Twenty-One and Injures Scores
No Sign of an AI Bubble as Tech Giants Double Down at World’s Largest Technology Show
Trump to hit Europe with 10% tariffs until Greenland deal is agreed
Cybercrime, Inc.: When Crime Becomes an Economy. How the World Accidentally Built a Twenty-Trillion-Dollar Criminal Economy
Woman Claiming to Be Freddie Mercury’s Secret Daughter Dies at Forty-Eight After Rare Cancer Battle
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks With Britain
Germany Hit by Major Airport Strikes Disrupting European Travel
Russia Deploys Hypersonic Missile in Strike on Ukraine
There is no sovereign immunity for poisoning millions with drugs.
Béla Tarr, Visionary Hungarian Filmmaker, Dies at Seventy After Long Illness
German Intelligence Secretly Intercepted Obama’s Air Force One Communications
The U.S. State Department’s account in Persian: “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know it until now, now you do—do not play games with President Trump.”
President Trump Says United States Will Administer Venezuela Until a Secure Leadership Transition
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Europe’s Luxury Sanctions Punish Russian Consumers While a Sanctions-Circumvention Industry Thrives
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hackers Are Hiding Malware in Open-Source Tools and IDE Extensions
Traveling to USA? Homeland Security moving toward requiring foreign travelers to share social media history
Trump in Direct Assault: European Leaders Are Weak, Immigration a Disaster. Russia Is Strong and Big — and Will Win
EU Firms Struggle with 3,000-Hour Paperwork Load — While Automakers Fear De Facto 2030 Petrol Car Ban
European States Approve First-ever Military-Grade Surveillance Network via ESA
The Ukrainian Sumo Wrestler Who Escaped the War — and Is Captivating Japan
Families Accuse OpenAI of Enabling ‘AI-Driven Delusions’ After Multiple Suicides
U.S. Envoys Deliver Ultimatum to Ukraine: Sign Peace Deal by Thursday or Risk Losing American Support
The U.S. State Department Announces That Mass Migration Constitutes an Existential Threat to Western Civilization and Undermines the Stability of Key American Allies
AI Researchers Claim Human-Level General Intelligence Is Already Here
Tragedy in Serbia: Coach Mladen Žižović Collapses During Match and Dies at 44
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
China Presses Netherlands to “properly” Resolve the Nexperia Seizure as Supply Chain Risks Grow
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Merz Attacks Migrants, Sparks Uproar, and Refuses to Apologize: “Ask Your Daughters”
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race
French Political Turmoil Elevates Marine Le Pen as Rassemblement National Poised for Power
The Davos Set in Decline: Why the World Economic Forum’s Power Must Be Challenged
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
×