Isabel Perelló Elected as First Female President of the Supreme Court in Historic Vote
In a historic vote held on Tuesday, members of the Judicial Council elected Isabel Perelló as the new president of the Supreme Court, making her the first woman to hold this esteemed position in the history of Spanish democracy. Perelló emerged victorious with a commanding 16 votes against her competitor, Supreme Court magistrate Ana Ferrer, who secured only four votes.
Isabel Perelló, who has served in the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court since 2009, began her judicial career in 1985. Over the years, she has held significant positions within the judiciary, including roles in the Court of First Instance and Instruction of Mahón in Menorca, as well as the Provincial Court of Barcelona and the High Court of Justice of Catalonia.
Known for her expertise in administrative litigation, Perelló's career history includes notable appointments in the Administrative Litigation Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Andalusia in Seville in 1991, and the National Court in 1994. Additionally, she served as a lawyer at the Constitutional Court from 1993 to 2003, further solidifying her legal credentials.
A staunch advocate for judicial education, Perelló has participated in numerous courses encompassing constitutional law, comparative administrative law, telecommunications, and constitutional jurisprudence. Moreover, she has contributed to various panels organized by the General Council of the Judiciary focusing on the intersection of sports regulation and justice.
Her intellectual endeavors extend to authorship; she has co-authored several legal works and collaborated on the publication titled "Europe of Rights: The European Convention on Human Rights," which was disseminated by the Center for Political and Constitutional Studies.
The election of Perelló was not only a significant milestone in her career but also a crucial moment for the Spanish judiciary. The Organic Law of the Judiciary stipulates that a reinforced majority of three-fifths of the members of the Plenary is required for such appointments. This necessitated bipartisan cooperation, a challenging endeavor given the entrenched positions of both political factions previously involved in the Judiciary Council—a scenario characterized by the ten members elected by the PSOE and another ten aligned with the PP.
Despite the formidable political landscape, there was a recognized need to reach an agreement and alleviate the stagnant state of the council, paving the way for Perelló's groundbreaking election. Her presidency marks a pivotal shift in the male-dominated judicial system, promising a new era of leadership and representation in the highest court of Spain.
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