Two years of judicial appointments shield the conservative dominance in the courtrooms

Two years into its mandate, Spain’s Supreme Court has seen a clear conservative dominance emerge within its leadership structures, according to recent data. The Association of Professional Judges (APM), a prominent right-wing group, has secured 59 of the 158 key positions allocated by the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) over this period, an impressive 37 percent share. This figure highlights the continued influence of conservative judicial factions despite efforts to rebalance power following years of political stalemate. The CGPJ began its current term two years ago with the goal of renewing more than a hundred posts in the judiciary after nearly five years of blockage by the Popular Party (PP), which had previously vetoed such changes. After almost three decades of conservative presidents, a deal struck in late 2024 with a limited progressive majority opened the door to a potential shift in the balance of power toward the left. However, the appointments made so far indicate that the conservative APM still holds substantial sway. According to official figures from the CGPJ, the APM has grown significantly in membership, rising from 1,115 members in 2004 to 1,448 in 2025, a near 30 percent increase. This growth has solidified the association's critical stance towards the government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, particularly regarding the Amnesty Law, which the APM predicted would mark “the beginning of the end of our democracy.” In contrast, the progressive association Juezas y Jueces para la Democracia, which represents 8 percent of the judiciary with 436 members, secured 28 appointments, 18 percent of all designations. Despite this, the group has lost 6 percent of its members in the last two decades. Four of the 20 current council members elected by the PSOE are affiliated with this organization. Judges who are not affiliated with any group make up 41 percent of the judiciary but have only managed to secure 27 percent of the appointments, 42 positions in total. These numbers underscore their reduced access to roles requiring consensus among the two main blocs within the CGPJ, which currently consists of 10 members elected by the PP and 10 by the PSOE and Sumar parties. Isabel Perelló, the current president of the CGPJ, was initially perceived as having a progressive lean given her appointment. However, she has aligned herself with the conservative bloc on several key issues. Her decisions during negotiations for leadership roles in sensitive sections of the Supreme Court saw candidates backed by the right ultimately securing these positions. The most significant appointments to the Supreme Court are particularly noteworthy because they remain in place until retirement unless resigned. In this distribution, the APM has claimed more than a third of the available spots (11 out of 30). Additionally, the initiative taken by conservative council members has facilitated the inclusion of other strongly conservative profiles, such as former Constitutional Court judge Antonio Narváez. Known for his support of former PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, Narváez joined the court through the so-called legal rotation system. His presence further cements the conservative influence within the judiciary’s upper echelons.