Elections of the Supreme Court Council: The Syndicate of the Judiciary is getting stronger

This is one of the most important barometers for understanding the state of mind of magistrates. In the Supreme Council of Justice (CSM) elections held at the end of November, the Syndicate of the Judiciary (SM, left) won 33.3% of the vote (compared to 30% in 2018). This is his best performance since 2010. The Union of Magistrates (USM), which presents itself as apolitical, remains largely in the majority, but has seen its scores slip (66.6% to 70% four years ago).

In the CSM, the magistrates must vote in two colleges (representing the seat and the prosecutor’s office), where the unions are elected three out of seven each time. This is indirect voting, with a large electoral system, but from where we. Can calculate the distribution of elected officials. Thus, for place and floor, USM will have two chosen each time, and SM will have one. But this year’s results allow the left-wing union to win back an elected member of the prosecutor’s office, which is not the most favorable college for it.

These results do not call into question the basic balances of the profession. By comparison, another important measure of the balance of power in the judiciary, the elections of the Committee of Advancement, in the summer of 2022 saw an equivalent distribution of forces (62.8% for “USM, 29% for SM and 7.5% for Unity Magistrates-Force Ouvrière, which did not take part in the CSM elections).

But politics, even for magistrates, consists of symbols. And the election of the CSM – an institution mandated by the constitution to assist the head of state in the function of guaranteeing the independence of the judiciary – is one of them. Especially in the context of strong mistrust, even outright hostility, between the judiciary and Justice Minister Eric DuPont-Moretti.

Common Cause v. DuPont-Moret

However, there was no excessive mobilization against the minister this year. Voting was held by correspondence from November 22 to 28, against the backdrop of the mobilization day. “Against Discount Justice” November 22. Turnout was 58.3%, compared to 66% in 2018.

However, when we look at the results in detail, we see that the Syndicat de la magistrature is progressing in some of the most difficult appellate courts, such as Basse-Terre (51.6%) or Fort-de-France (65.5%), but also in Amiens (41.5%). in Douai (North) (39.9%) or even in Paris (39.8%). “These results are the result of our mobilization in the courts, especially in the matter of resources. This means that we were able to convince thanks to our long-term work »Stepping forward is Kim Rowflett, president of SM, who has just been confirmed in his role for 56 years.^e The conference was held from November 25 to 27 inclusive.