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Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

Spanish Government Advances Judicial Career Reform Amid Political Tensions

The PSOE pushes for a significant alteration to judicial access laws, rejecting nationwide opposition amendments while navigating intense scrutiny.
The Spanish government is expediting a prominent reform of judicial career access in Congress, following the rejection of amendments proposed by the People’s Party (PP) and Vox.

Patxi López, the parliamentary spokesman for the Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), characterized the initiative as 'the largest reform in judicial careers in 40 years' on Tuesday, emphasizing the urgency to push the bill through.

The coalition parties in government are set to dismiss the total amendments proposed by PP and Vox this Thursday and allow only 24 hours for the presentation of new partial amendments.

This legislative move occurs against a backdrop of significant political, media, and judicial pressure concerning the attorney general, Álvaro García Ortiz, who is facing scrutiny related to a case involving the partner of the Madrid president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso.

Justice Minister Félix Bolaños introduced the project to reform the Statute of the Public Prosecutor's Office in May, asserting the need to separate this reform—extending the term of the attorney general to five years—from current controversies affecting García Ortiz.

These changes are part of a separate legislative package and will not come into effect until January 1, 2028, coinciding with the end of García Ortiz's current term and anticipated general elections.

The PP and Vox argue that the reforms aim to politically influence the judiciary.

The government's ongoing modifications relate to various aspects of the Office of the Public Prosecutor, the Criminal Procedure Law, and entry into the judiciary.

The current bill, focusing on access to judicial careers, aims to promote equal opportunities by offering four years of scholarships at minimum wage for candidates and facilitating direct entry for lawyers with over ten years of experience.

This effort aligns with regulations prevalent in most European countries and long-standing recommendations from organizations like the Group of States against Corruption (Greco).

Initial support for the judicial career access reform has been indicated by nearly all the parties in the investiture agreement, with ongoing discussions to accommodate some partial amendments before the scheduled votes against total amendments from PP and Vox.

Representatives from the PP and Vox, Miguel Tellado and Pepa Millán, reiterated their criticisms of the government’s approach, asserting it represents another attempt to control and undermine the judiciary amid their own scandals.

Millán accused the government of attempting to politicize the judiciary through modifications to the judicial ethics committee, which would allow for increased political influence by assigning four of nine members from the legislative chambers.

Tellado focused on the government's rapid approach to this reform, suggesting it is driven by a need to protect its interests and questioning the motives behind the urgency.

He noted that this swift legislative process often occurs when government support is secure, referencing past instances such as the ELA Law.

The total amendments proposed by PP and Vox are expected to be rejected in the upcoming plenary session, with a quick turnaround for presenting partial amendments.

The government has argued that this expedited process is critical, aiming to include provisions for an unprecedented public employment offer for judges and prosecutors, as well as address the regularization of substitute judges—a necessity highlighted by the European Commission to avoid substantial financial penalties for Spain.

Over the next three years, the government plans to offer 1,500 positions.
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