Balaguer will measure himself against Conde-Pumpido for the presidency of the Constitutional

In the conservative and progressive bloc they have not yet met to establish positions, but Conde-Pumpido has already established contacts

MADRID, 29 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The magistrate María Luisa Balaguer will predictably be measured before the magistrate Cándido Conde-Pumpido for the presidency of a Constitutional Court (TC) that is preparing for its partial renewal and to change its majority -from conservative to progressive-, although sources of the body of guarantees assure Europa Press that the contacts in the court to measure the support are still incipient and that, therefore, there is no favorite.

The sources consulted indicate, however, that Conde-Pumpido had already initiated a series of contacts with the rest of the court magistrates that would serve to gauge what options he would have if he were elected. It so happens that the former attorney general has had a "magnificent" relationship for more than 20 years with two of the new magistrates -- former Justice Minister Juan Carlos Campo and retired Supreme Court magistrate María Luisa Segoviano.

The same sources, however, warn that it is still early to anticipate a result, since neither the conservative bloc nor the progressive bloc have met to set positions, and since not even the possible candidates for the presidency have come to an agreement. apply somehow.

Thus, different sources agree in pointing out to Europa Press that the time to deliberate on the presidency will be once the four new magistrates are incorporated, that the time of the court must be respected and avoid entering into "prophecies."

In this way, they insist that, for the moment, the Constitutional magistrates are focused on the partial renewal process that began this week after the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) revealed the names of the two magistrates that correspond to it. designate the court: Segoviano and the magistrate of the TS César Tolosa.

These two names will be added to the two chosen by the Government - the former Minister of Justice and magistrate of the National Court Juan Carlos Campo and the former director general of the Ministry of the Presidency Laura Díez.

With these four new entries and the departure of the president of the TC, Pedro González-Trevijano; the vice president, Juan Antonio Xiol; and of the magistrates Antonio Narváez and Santiago Martínez-Vares the board of majorities in the court changes.

Until now, the TC included 6 magistrates from the conservative block and 5 from the progressive block. The new scenario will favor the progressive wing, which will manage to gather 7 magistrates. The conservatives will keep 4.

Thus, the sources consulted by Europa Press assume that the new president of the court will be from the progressive bloc and recall that in the TC there are no candidacies, but that the members choose a name by consensus, which is the one that is finally proposed. Historically, the president and vice president are chosen from among the four magistrates who, due to partial renewals, have been in the Constitutional Court for the longest time.

For several months, the former State Attorney General Conde-Pumpido sounded like González-Trevijano's successor. At the end of August, shortly before the opening of the judicial year, the name of the professor of Constitutional Law Balaguer was put on the table, but it was still too early for both to be measured for the presidency, because the renewal of the court was pending. .

Now that the partial renewal of the Constitution is a reality, the sources consulted assure that Balaguer is shown as an option, since he would have more possibilities than Conde-Pumpido to gather support from the conservative sector for having a "consensus" profile.

The same sources, however, specify that at the moment the contacts in the court to gauge the support for either of the two magistrates are very incipient.

Sources from the conservative wing assure Europa Press that until now there have been no meetings or contacts in this sector to establish a position on whether they support Conde-Pumpido or Balaguer or whether they will abstain. The sources consulted in the progressive bloc indicate that, for their part, there have not yet been any meetings to establish support.

Regarding the vice presidency, the sources of the guarantee body explain that this will foreseeably fall on the magistrate Ricardo Enriquez, since it is an unwritten tradition in the court that if the presidency is occupied by a progressive magistrate, the number two position is for a conservative.

Thus, and given that the four magistrates who have been in the Plenary for the longest time always enter the fray for these positions, the only person who can occupy that position is Enríquez, given that Alfredo Montoya took sick leave last summer.

However, it will be necessary to wait for the partial renewal process to complete so that the magistrates choose the new president and vice president of the TC. It is still pending that the four magistrates who arrive at the court swear or promise their position before King Felipe VI and take possession of their positions.

Afterwards, the election of the new president will take place. It will be a secret vote that, in a first round, will require an absolute majority and, in the event that it is not reached, a second vote will be carried out, which will be resolved by simple majority.

If there is a tie, it will be voted again. If the situation is repeated, the one with the greatest seniority in the TC will be proposed for the position of president; If there are two magistrates with the same seniority, the oldest one will be proposed.

The name of the president and the elected vice president will be submitted to the head of state for their appointment for a period of three years. They can only be re-elected once.