Brussels is calling for the renewal of the CGPJ before it is reformed, amid repeated attempts by the PP to attack the government in Europe.

The PP wanted to cast doubt in Europe on the functioning of the rule of law in Spain and was reprimanded by the European Parliament for “instrumentalizing” an attack on the government. Criticism came mainly from the benches of the left, but the community authorities did not throw their cap either, on the contrary. The Justice Commissioner, Didier Reynders, once again reminded the PP that the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) must be renewed before changing the electoral system, which Alberto Núñez Feijo is now refusing after he was accepted into the agreement. That he closed with the government before the pressure from the right exploded.

“We advised Spain to update the CGPJ and make it a priority.” We also recommend that, as soon as this happens, open a process to adapt the appointment of judges,” Reinders explained about the European Commission’s request that judges choose the governing body more, an extreme that the PSOE refuses to do, a prerequisite according to the law that a judicial career in the current system already does preselection before the representatives of popular sovereignty in Congress and the Senate vote on the final names. “We continue to appeal to stakeholders to implement this recommendation,” the commissioner added.

The Spanish right was clear that he wanted to paint a black picture of Spain’s democratic situation in the European Parliament, which remained virtually empty during the debate promoted by the PP in its quota and in which almost half of the participants were Spanish. people. “This debate should be held in the right place, in the Spanish Parliament and not in the European Parliament,” complained the Portuguese socialist Pedro Silva, who assured that “this is nothing more than an attempt to use the chamber to continue the partisan struggle. .

“Spain is experiencing a worrying drift of democratic degradation, institutional deterioration and governmental irresponsibility, caused by the latest decisions of the current government,” delegation head Dolores Montserrat said at the outset. “We cannot remain silent while this government markets Spain and makes concessions to those who seek to destroy the country itself,” added the conservative MEP.

Representatives of PP, Ciudadanos and Vox criticized in the European Parliament that the government appointed former Justice Minister Juan Carlos Campo and former Moncloa official Laura Diez as magistrates of the Constitutional Court. The Commissioner of Justice did not go into the specific appointments and simply limited himself to the fact that they have not been terminated since July and that they are “important for the functioning of the system”.

Brussels will analyze the embezzlement reform

Nor was he criticized for reducing penalties for the “only yes is yes” law, but he noted that the European Commission would analyze the changes to the embezzlement offense to see if it was compatible with Community law. concerns the financial interests of the European Union”. The findings will form part of a report on the rule of law in Spain to be published in July. Regarding the disappearance of the rebellion, he noted that “this is something that belongs exclusively to the competence of the member states, with which they can change the legislation, as long as they respect their international and constitutional obligations.”

Regarding the latest reports, Reynders alluded to Spain’s “advances” in some respects. Among other things, he mentioned the rules aimed at the digitalization or reform of judicial processes and official secrecy, although he assured that there is still work to be done.

Ciudadanos MEP Jordi Canas compared Pedro Sánchez to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán before asserting that “Spain is not Pedro Sánchez, nor his government, nor the PSOE, nor his separatist and communist accomplices”, who together achieved a parliamentary majority. The last general election.

Vox’s Jorge Buxade falsely accused the government of introducing legislative changes “fraudulently” to avoid reports from bodies such as the CGPJ or the Fiscal Council, which are laws mandated by the Council of Ministers. , but not with bills registered in Congress. “Harassment of judges and prosecutors has reached levels characteristic of Chavista regimes,” added her colleague from the far-right bench, Herman Tersch.

Pro-government groups stormed out against the PP and defended the coalition’s actions. “European democracy requires knowing how to lose by admitting the result. The PP does not know how to lose,” said socialist Juan Fernando López Aguilar. “Spain doesn’t have a problem with the legal system, it has a problem with the opposition,” added his compatriot Iban García del Blanco.

“This debate is an instrumental debate of the PP, which this chamber is using to question the legitimacy of the coalition government in Spain, in the pure style of the extreme right in other parts of the world,” the IU spokesperson fumed. Sira Rego, who dealt with a series of PP corruption cases, such as the illegal use of the police to spy on political opponents, before defending the coalition management on issues such as the minimum interprofessional wage, labor reform or the “one-of-a-kind” law. Yes is yes’.

María Eugenia Rodríguez Palop (Podemos) called the PP a “rebellious party”, which she also accused of spreading the idea in Europe that “the government is illegitimate”. Also ICV MEP (Greens) Ernest Urtasun accused the PP of corruption and breaking the law by blocking the judicial system. “This government will continue the good work in Europe and cannot undermine it. Regardless of you, the presidency will be successful. They bark, then we walk,” he concluded.