The interim president of the CGPJ is considering dismissing EU mediation to renew the organ as it fails

MADRID, 31 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The interim president of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), Vicente Guilarte, is considering resigning if the mediation of the EU Justice Commissioner, Didier Reynders, so that PSOE and PP agree on the renewal of the governing body of the judges - after of five years--finally fails.

This was dropped by the conservative member during an event held on Tuesday at the CGPJ for the European Mediation Day where he stated that, if Reynders' good offices are not successful, he would return to his job as a teacher. "Let them come look for me at the University of Valladolid," he said, as confirmed by sources present to Europa Press.

Sources from the governing body of the judges assure this news agency that "that is really the idea", to resign as substitute head of the CGPJ if this new negotiating effort also derails.

However, the same sources insist that "we must trust" that European mediation will work because "it is an opportunity that cannot be wasted." And this despite the fact that they are aware that the key factor is the political will of PSOE and PP.

It should be remembered that the former president of the CGPJ Carlos Lesmes launched the same order in September 2022 to force the renewal, but after verifying that the contacts between socialists and 'popular' would not come to fruition he complied with it and resigned a month later.

Lesmes was succeeded by the progressive member Rafael Mozo, as he was the oldest member, and after his retirement, on July 19, Guilarte picked up the baton following the same criteria.

To occupy the chair of head of the CGPJ, Guilarte had to resign from his jobs as a professor and lawyer because the position requires exclusive dedication. If he resigns, the next on the list would be the conservative member Wenceslao Olea.

Precisely this Wednesday, Brussels is scheduled to host the first meeting aimed at renewing the CGPJ with the presence of Reynders; the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, Félix Bolaños; and the Deputy Secretary of Institutional Affairs of the PP, Esteban González Pons.

For two years, the Community Executive has called in its recommendations on the Rule of Law in Spain to urgently renew the governing body of judges and, "immediately afterwards", address a reform of the system of election of the 12 judicial members to align it with European standards, which require that at least half of the body's members be elected by their peers.

Reynders, who has set a period of two months to achieve "solutions" within the framework of this "structured dialogue", has already made it clear that he will inform the PSOE and the PP that Brussels expects the two elements included in the recommendation to be met.

The way in which this process is organized is already one of the main obstacles that distance PP and PSOE because the 'popular' demand that the two phases go hand in hand, so that the renewal of the CGPJ and the change of the system, while the socialists cling to the fact that the "urgent" thing is to unblock the new appointments and "later" discuss the second stage.