The forecasts are fulfilled and the extraordinary plenary session convened by Lesmes is limited to agreeing on a procedure.
The forecasts were fulfilled and the first plenary session convened so that the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) will designate the two magistrates of constitutional Court (CT) that corresponds to him by quota has concluded without agreement on this matter. What the members have resolved is the appointment of some interlocutors to try to reach consensus, and the next meeting has been left without a date for when the agreement takes place.
The resistance of the members of the conservative sector -who agreed on a common position during a dinner held last Tuesday-, has led to the meeting being lost in questions related to the procedure to be followed to make the appointments, without the names of candidates. The difficulties were seen from the beginning, in a meeting that began three quarters of an hour later than the time called for its start.
The plenary session was called by the President of the Council, Carlos Lesmes, after a controversial reform of the Organic Law of the Judiciary (LOPJ) went ahead at the end of last July, which allows the governing body of the judges to avoid the prohibition imposed on them to make appointments while in office, for comply with its part of the renewal of the TC before next September 13. For its part, the Government must elect two other magistrates, which will mean a overturning of the organ of guarantees towards a majority of progressive sensitivity.
In any case, the members who were appointed at the proposal of the PP have lowered the tone with respect to their initial positions, which were of radical opposition to the agreement, and they are open to the pact as long as “the times of the Council are met”. The practical consequence is that the CGPJ will not be able to meet the legal deadline of September 13, although it is not ruled out that the appointments will end up taking place before the end of this month.
The meeting was held just one day after Lesmes read a harsh opening speech for the judicial year in which he described the current situation of the CGPJ is unsustainable, which has not been renewed for more than three and a half years due to the disability of PSOE and the PP to reach an agreement. For this reason, he pointed out the possibility of resigning from the position if in the coming weeks the politicians fail to renew the body.