Argentina's La Libertad Avanza proposes judicial selection reforms

The political coalition La Libertad Avanza has presented its proposal for the upcoming Council of the Magistracy elections on October 20. The list, titled ‘Abogacía por la Libertad’, is led by Luis Palomino, a councilman from Vicente López and former national Undersecretary of Employment.

Palomino has criticized the current judicial selection system, arguing that existing competitions prioritize academic credentials, such as publications and teaching, over practical judicial competence. He characterized the personal interview stage of the process as being marked by “absolute subjectivity and arbitrariness,” noting a lack of clear scoring or justifications for merit list changes.

Furthermore, Palomino alleged that certain sectors have controlled the Council for 25 years and called for a debate regarding the specific profile of judges required by Argentine society. He noted that the Supreme Court had previously ordered Congress to enact new regulations after declaring the current scheme unconstitutional.