The Government's new strategy to complete its assault on the Judiciary

The Council of Ministers approved a draft bill on Tuesday to reform the Organic Law of the Judiciary. The Minister of Justice, Félix Bolaños, highlighted that this reform aims to "adapt the judicial career to the 21st century."

Among the proposed changes is increasing the access of judges without opposition through modifications in the fourth turn. The fourth turn allows prestigious jurists to enter the judicial system without going through the usual opposition process.

Currently, this mechanism only occupies 10% of the positions, but the Government seeks to reach 25%, as established by law. The reform includes a scholarship system that guarantees minimum support equivalent to the Minimum Interprofessional Wage (SMI).

These aids, which can be extended up to four years, aim to democratize access to the judicial career. According to Bolaños, this system will prevent the economic situation of the applicants from being an insurmountable obstacle.

Additionally, the draft bill proposes that judges acting as preparers of opponents be officially registered. This registration aims to end irregular practices, such as under-the-table payments by some preparers.

Another novelty is the creation of a Public School for Opponents to promote transparency and accessibility. The changes include the elimination of an oral test, replacing it with a practical and anonymous exam.

This, according to the Executive, will allow for the evaluation of applied skills beyond the simple memorization of concepts. The reform also introduces electronic voting in the elections of the governing bodies of the courts.

This change seeks to "modernize the system" and ensure judges' participation in these important decisions. However, despite the Government's objectives, the reform has caused criticism from various judicial and political sectors.

The criticisms point out that the modifications could jeopardize the independence of the Judiciary. Opponents argue that the increase of judges without opposition compromises the technical preparation of the magistrates.

Additionally, they consider that the inclusion of practical tests doesn't guarantee the same objectivity as traditional ones. The General Council of the Judiciary has called for caution in the face of a reform of this magnitude and its implications.

The Professional Association of the Magistracy expressed that this reform could be an "assault on the Judiciary." From the Executive, they assure that the objective is to strengthen the judicial career and guarantee its plurality and equity.

The Government also seeks to end the interim status of substitute judges, creating a more stable structure. This draft bill will be debated in Parliament and is expected to be approved before the summer of this year.

With this reform, the Government intends to fulfill one of its electoral commitments in the field of justice. However, the controversy is served, and the debate promises to be one of the most intense in the coming months.