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Constitutional Court Quashes Supreme Court Rulings on Prosecutor Post, Restores Esteban’s Senior Rank

The court found that the Supreme Court overstepped constitutional limits on reviewing discretionary fiscal promotions.

Overview

  • Spain’s Constitutional Court granted amparo to prosecutor Eduardo Esteban, overturning two 2023 Supreme Court annulments of his appointment to the minors unit.
  • The ruling reinstates Esteban to the top category of fiscal de Sala but does not return him to the specific coordinator of minors position, which is currently occupied.
  • The majority opinion by Justice Ramón Sáez held that the Supreme Court violated Article 23.2 of the Constitution by infringing Esteban’s career-access rights.
  • The court emphasized that judicial oversight must test legality, motivation, and fundamental rights without substituting the Fiscal General’s discretionary assessment of merits.
  • The decision was approved with four dissents, and coverage notes potential ripple effects for other contested appointments from Dolores Delgado’s tenure.