Reynders’ Council of Europe bid complicates renewal of Spain’s top legal body

8 months ago 31

EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders’ candidacy for the presidency of the Council of Europe has further complicated the negotiations over the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s ruling PSOE party and right-wing Partido Popular (PP/EPP), which have so far been mediated by Reynders.

The proposed reform of the CGPJ, recently submitted by Sánchez’s left-wing coalition, would change how members of the legal body are appointed, a point of friction with the PP, the main opposition force in parliament, Euractiv’s partner EFE reported.

Reynders asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday for unpaid leave from his post as EU commissioner after he was officially nominated as a candidate for the presidency of the Council of Europe.

The Belgian politician has so far acted as a mediator on behalf of Brussels, facilitating the dialogue between the two opposing parties.

Until now, the CGPJ has been operating on an interim basis, unable to make progress in a number of important court cases affecting thousands of citizens.

The renewal of the CGPJ, the highest governing body of Spanish judges, has been blocked for more than five years due to strong disagreements between the two parties, whose approval is essential to move forward.

Despite Reynders’ departure from the EU executive, the Commission’s justice spokesman Christian Wigand reiterated the Commission’s full readiness to continue to mediate in the talks. The talks are currently at an impasse after the fourth meeting between the parties, scheduled for Wednesday in Madrid, was postponed.

“The talks between the parties are continuing. The Commission remains available to participate”, Wigand told EFE on Monday.

The last meeting between Reynders, Spanish Justice Minister Félix Bolaños (PSOE/S&D), and the PP representative Esteban González Pons took place on 13 March in Strasbourg, and, like the two previous meetings held in Brussels, ended without an agreement.

While the PSOE insists that the renewal of CGPJ members should be agreed upon before the reform of the judicial appointment process, the PP argues that both should take place in parallel.

The European Commission, for its part, is in favour of giving priority to the renewal of the CGPJ’s membership and “immediately” starting the process of reforming the body.

(Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.Euractiv.es)