Spain’s judicial system is on the verge of sweeping changes as authorities announce plans to urgently open hundreds of new judge positions. This decision comes in response to a severe staff shortage that has long hindered court efficiency and delayed case proceedings. The new initiative aims to ease the burden on current judges and speed up the justice process for citizens.
The General Council of the Judiciary (Consejo General del Poder Judicial, CGPJ) will hold an extraordinary meeting to unanimously support the proposal of its president, Isabel Perelló. She is calling for the immediate launch of a competition for 375 new judge positions. This number is several times higher than previous recruitments, when no more than 120 seats were opened at a time. This move is intended to address the growing personnel shortage already being felt in all regions of the country.
Vacancies and the fourth pathway
In addition to the regular selection process, the Council will commission an internal review to determine how many posts should be reserved for the so-called ‘fourth pathway’ — a special procedure for experienced lawyers with impeccable reputations and over ten years of practice. By law, a quarter of all magistrate vacancies must be filled by such professionals. However, in recent years, this mechanism has nearly ceased to function, and authorities now aim to revive it.
According to official data, by the end of 2025, Spain had 5,903 full-time positions for judges, but only 5,643 were actually filled. This means 260 positions remained vacant, increasing the workload for each judge. Even new appointments in 2026 are expected to only partially offset the retirement of senior colleagues. The Ministry of Justice has already announced plans to create another 500 new positions — a record number for the country.
Debate and disagreement
The issue of how many vacancies should be filled by the ‘fourth route’ remains a point of contention among different groups within the Council. The Ministry believes that historically 781 positions have been left unfilled, while Council representatives cite a more modest number — around one hundred. In the upcoming recruitment process, they estimate that just over a hundred such positions will be announced. For the progressive members of the Council, this is a long-awaited victory: they have long sought to expand access for experienced lawyers. Conservatives, however, insist on the need for mass recruitment of new judges through open competition.
Despite disagreements, both sides agree on one thing: increasing the number of judicial positions will help reduce overload in the courts. The problem is particularly acute in the Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo) and the National Court (Audiencia Nacional), where cases pile up for months. The Council’s agreed decision is expected to ease tensions between the judiciary and the state, as well as speed up case processing.
Reaction and consequences
The head of the Council, Isabel Perelló, has openly stated there is a shortage of judges and emphasized that the current selection system, based on merit and professionalism, should be preserved. She opposed the government’s proposed reform, arguing that it could lower the quality of recruitment. Justice Minister Félix Bolaños called her statement a political gesture, further fueling the debate around the reform.
In the near future, the Council is expected to approve the new recruitment scheme and prepare a report on vacancies for the ‘fourth path.’ If the decision is made unanimously, it will mark an important step toward renewing Spain’s judicial system. Authorities hope the new judges will process cases more quickly and ease the burden on their colleagues, while citizens can expect more efficient delivery of justice.
In recent years, Spain has already faced similar staffing crises in the judiciary. For example, in 2023 the authorities also increased the number of judicial vacancies to deal with a growing case load. This helped to partially ease the pressure on courts, although the problem did not fully disappear. In other European countries, similar measures have led to faster case processing but required additional investment and a revision of selection procedures. Now, Spain is making another attempt to solve an issue affecting millions of citizens.
