European Commission to mediate negotiations for renewal of Spain's top judicial body

The European Commission confirmed on Friday that it has agreed to mediate the negotiations between the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and the conservative People’s Party (PP) over the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), the highest judicial body in Spain.  

The first meeting between the Spanish Presidency and Justice Minister, Félix Bolaños, and the deputy secretary for the PP's institutional action, Esteban González Pons, will take place on January 31 in Brussels.  

The goal according to the European Commission, is to have “a structured dialogue” that will not take more than two months. 

The CGPJ has been expired for five years because the Socialists and the PP, the only parties with the necessary parliamentary majorities, have not been able to reach an agreement to renew it.  

The PP demands a reform that would change the election system for the body before negotiating its renewal. 

The European Commission has criticized the deadlock for “causing serious problems in the Spanish administration of justice” and said on Friday that the renewal is a “priority” for Spain to comply with “European standards.” 

It is not the first time, the Commission has urged Spain to address the problem, in fact, it has been urging Spain to address this democratic anomaly for years.  

In December, Didier Reynders, the European Commissioner for Justice, insisted on the need to renew the CGPJ. "After five years, (the renewal) is even more urgent," he said.   

The members of the CGPJ have been in office for 10 years, twice as long as they should have been. The current judiciary body, with a conservative majority, was elected in 2013 when former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (PP) had an absolute majority.