Overview

• The Council of Europe’s advisory body concluded that leaving the final choice of the 12 judicial members to Parliament acts as a political filter and does not meet European standards.
• While not formally endorsing either model sent by the CGPJ, the opinion is more favorable to judges electing judges provided specific safeguards are added.
• Recommended measures include lowering endorsement thresholds, ensuring representation across court levels, genders and regions, and opening realistic paths for non‑associated judges to stand.
• The Commission also warned of the risk of internal politicization if judicial associations dominate nominations and campaigns.
• Spain’s Government says it will continue to defend the current system with a final vote by the Cortes, and the Commission’s final text is expected to be published on Monday.