The Plenary of Spain’s General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) has appointed María Isabel Perelló, a magistrate known for her pro-LGBTQ+ stance, as the new president of both the Supreme Court and the CGPJ. This historic appointment marks the first time a woman will lead the Supreme Court, bringing an end to a prolonged deadlock.
At 66 years old, Perelló was elected to her new position by the CGPJ, an oversight body responsible for appointing judges and safeguarding judicial independence. The council, in a statement, announced that Perelló, described by Spanish media as a progressive figure, secured the support of 16 out of 20 council members.
This appointment makes Perelló the first woman to head Spain’s Supreme Court since its establishment in 1812, as well as the first woman to lead the CGPJ.
The council’s mandate expired in December 2018, and it has been operating on an interim basis since then due to a stalemate between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s ruling Socialist Party and the main opposition Popular Party (PP) over its composition.
This deadlock has increasingly hampered the Spanish judicial system, resulting in over 100 vacant judge positions and drawing criticism from Brussels, which even attempted to mediate the dispute.
Perelló’s appointment was made possible after a recent agreement between the Socialists and the PP to renew the 20 members of the CGPJ.
