Spanish Congress rejects PP proposal to let judges elect CGPJ majority
The lower house voted down the Popular Party's bill that would have transferred the selection of most CGPJ members from parliament to judges themselves.
On Thursday, the Congreso de los Diputados rejected a reform put forward by the Partido Popular that sought to let judges directly elect the majority of the Consejo General del Poder Judicial (CGPJ). The bill would have shifted the selection of twelve of the twenty council members from parliamentary appointment to a secret, personal vote by magistrates, eliminating the current requirement for a three-fifths majority in both chambers.
Only Vox and UPN supported the measure, while the PSOE, Sumar, Izquierda Unida and regional nationalist groups condemned it as anti-democratic and an attempt to fill the courts with conservative judges. Cuca Gamarra defended the proposal, arguing it would strengthen the separation of powers, but faced sharp rebuttals from PSOE deputy Francisco Aranda and others. The vote took place as the Judicial Year opened, with CGPJ president Isabel Perelló emphasizing the need for an independent and professional judiciary. International bodies such as the Venice Commission and the European Commission have previously urged Spain to reform the CGPJ appointment process to reduce politicisation.
