The president of the Judiciary defends the “current” and “democratic” oppositions to judge before the Government reform

The president of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), Isabel Perelló, has defended the “current” and “democratic” system of access to the judicial and fiscal careers two days after the Government proposed a comprehensive reform of the oppositions.

This is how Perelló expressed himself this Thursday in Barcelona during his speech at the delivery of offices to the 137 judges of the 73rd class, in an event chaired by King Felipe VI and marked by the prominence in Spanish politics of the judicial cases against him. Attorney General of the State and the family of the President of the Government. It was also the first delivery of dispatches with the renewed CGPJ after years of blockade.

From the hands of the king, they have received their dispatches on the 137 Thursdays of the new promotion. The majority (92) are women, which represents 67.1% of the total, a proportion that has been repeated in all promotions for 28 years. The judiciary is a career with a majority of women at the base, but which is decreasing in the highest positions. Only 6% of Supreme Court justices are women, that is, 11 out of 57.

The average profile of the new promotion is made up of people aged 30, without legal family members and who have dedicated five years and two months to preparing the opposition. Seven out of ten do not have any jurist among their loved ones, 5.8% have a family judge or magistrate and 22.6% have a professional in the sector, in most cases lawyers.

Perelló has cited these data to defend the current opposition. “The current system of access to the career is democratic,” stated Perelló, since it guarantees that any applicant “from any background, social origin or ideology,” the judge highlighted, “can compete on equal terms supported exclusively by their effort”.

Opposition to judicial and prosecutorial careers is demanding in time and money. It requires dedicating between eight and ten hours a day to studying, which makes it almost incompatible with working. To this we must add the fees of the private trainer, who can charge around 200 euros per month and the price of manuals and materials. In the last promotion, 98.71% of the judges had the financial support of their parents, and 64.52% of the total had not worked before.

Perelló has also referred to this economic factor when defending the need to “guarantee public aid” for opponents who need it. “No vocation of public service should be lost due to lack of resources.”

The access tests to the judiciary, Perelló has elaborated, “are public”, and the assessment criteria “are transparent and objective.” Furthermore, he highlighted that the first written exam is anonymous, which guarantees the equality of all applicants.

“The accessibility, publicity, transparency and objectivity of the evidence are the best guarantee of the plurality of the judicial career,” added Perelló.

The words of the president of the CGPJ have not met with the unanimity of the race. The conservative and centrist Professional Association of the Judiciary (APM), Association of Judges Francisco de Vitoria (AJFV) and the Independent Judicial Forum (FJI) have applauded Perelló’s words, while the progressive Judges and Judges for Democracy (JJxD) has defended the “improvement” of the system of access to the judiciary.

“The current system can be improved to guarantee greater objectivity, transparency and equity, while responding more effectively to the needs of the public justice service,” the progressive association recalled.

In the middle of the debate on the evaluations of ministers and other public representatives of judicial decisions in cases of political importance, Perelló has reminded the new judges that they cannot be “immune to criticism”, although he has asked to “avoid destructive attacks lacking rigor.” , aimed at undermining the legitimacy and reputation of the Judiciary.”

“The separation of powers requires that we judges be cautious and prudent when publicly expressing our opinions,” added Perelló, who at the same time called on the rest of the social actors to “respect the times and reasons of the judges when “They act in the exercise of their functions.”

The king asks for “strict ethical demands”

In his speech, King Felipe VI called on the new judges to “guard the standards of exemplary conduct” and act “under strict ethical requirements.” According to the head of state, the exercise of the work of judges must be carried out with “righteousness” to reflect the “trust” of citizens in this institution.

“This respect that is demanded of you as judges is also an obligation for all of us who are part of society and an indispensable condition for the survival of the principles and values ​​on which it is based,” the monarch stated.

The acting director of the Judicial School, Clara Carulla, also spoke at the event, highlighting that Justice “must be available to everyone and be accessible to the citizens it serves.”

Despite the incomplete application of the amnesty to the sovereigntist leaders, the process has lost steam in the references of the speeches. The ceremony of handing over offices has served to confirm the return to institutional normality that marks the mandate of the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa. For the first time since 2016, when Carles Puigdemont attended, a head of the Government has attended

The Minister of Justice, Félix Bolaños, also attended the ceremony; the mayor of Barcelona, ​​Jaume Collboni; the Ministers of Justice and Interior, Ramon Espadaler and Núria Parlon; as well as the State Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz; and the Government delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto.