Enrique López, former Minister of Justice of Ayuso, presents himself to preside over the National Court

Enrique Lopezjudge and former counselor of the Government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, aspires to preside over the National Court, the court to which he rejoined in June 2023 after almost four years as Minister of Justice of the Community of Madrid. This is stated in the list of candidates for that position that was made public this Monday by the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ).

López, a career magistrate, carved out a profile as a judge similar to the popular ones even before Ayuso signed him for the Community of Madrid and the former party leader Pablo Casado appointed him responsible for the formation’s Justice issues.

He became part of the Appeals Chamber in July 2019 after the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) agreed. The decision of the governing body of the judges came after the Supreme Court previously annulled his appointment to that position.

Previously, he held a seat on the plenary session of the Constitutional Court, a position for which he was appointed in June 2013 at the proposal of the PP and after six years of vetoes by the PSOE for him to enter the court of constitutional guarantees. But his stay at the TC ended in the summer of 2014 when he resigned after being caught driving a motorcycle without a helmet and under the influence of alcohol.

The list of candidates also includes his colleague from the Appeals Chamber Eloy Velasco, who in a recent conference questioned the legitimacy of the Government and criticized the former Minister of Equality Irene Montero. María Tardón, head of the Central Court of Instruction 3 of the National Court, also aspires to the same position; or Jesús Eduardo Gutiérrez, magistrate of the Criminal Chamber of the National Court.

The list is completed by the presidents of the provincial audiences of Madrid and Cádiz, Juan Pablo González-Herrero and Manuel María Estrella, respectively. And the magistrate of the TSJ of Navarra Juan Manuel Fernández and the magistrate of the Madrid Court Francisco Manuel Oliver.