The accusation of Andalusian mediator is formally vacant this week after the expiration of the second term at the head of the said institution of Jesus Maeztuwho will however continue to exercise his functions “until the investiture of the leader designated for the next mandate by the autonomous Parliament”.
This is stated in a resolution of the Presidency of the Parliament of Andalusia, signed on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 and consulted by Europa Press, by which “the position of Andalusian ombudsman is declared vacant.” due to the expiration of the mandate.
Thus, the President of the Parliament, Jesus Aguirredeclares in this resolution “vacant” the position of Ombudsman of the Andalusian People, due to “the expiration of the mandate” of Jesús Maeztu, “in accordance with the provisions of articles 2.º.1 and 5.º.1.2.º and 2 of Law 9/1983, of December 1, of the Andalusian Ombudsman, according to the wording given by Law 3/2001, of May 22.
The same resolution specifies that, “in accordance with the provisions of article 5.3 of the aforementioned law, in the wording given by Law 3/2001, and until the owner is designated for the following term by the Parliament of Andalusia”, Jesús Maeztu Gregorio de Tejada “will continue to exercise his functions as Ombudsman of the Andalusian people”.
Jesús Maeztu was elected by Parliament for a first term as Andalusian Ombudsman in the year 2013, and in 2019 he was re-elected for a second term that now ends in 2024. Previously, he already held the same position, but in office, between 1995 and 1996, replacing its incumbent at the time, Manuel Conde-Pumpido Ferreiro.
The interim Andalusian Ombudsman, who He replaced José Chamizo in this position, He was born in Medina Sidonia, Cádiz, in 1943. He is a professor of labor law at the University of Seville and was responsible for the commissioner of the Polígono Sur of Seville.
Three months ago, on June 12, Jesús Maeztu took advantage of his appearance in the plenary session of Parliament to present the annual report corresponding to the year 2023 of the Andalusian Ombudsman, to say goodbye to the deputies as the end of their mandate approached. second term, with a few words in which he asked parliamentarians to take care of the institution he has led since 2013, asking them to distance it “from controversies and legitimate political options, so that in the next mandate, now close, this institution can continue working on improve people’s livesby giving particular priority to citizens left behind in the face of new challenges.
He wants a woman to succeed him
Likewise, Jesús Maeztu expressed, at the end of his speech during his appearance in plenary, his wish that his successor as Defender “be now represented for a woman.
Law 9/1983 of December 1 of the Andalusian Ombudsman establishes that said position “will be elected by Parliament.” for a period of five yearsand for his election a majority of three-fifths of the Chamber is required, which in the Andalusian Assembly, composed of 109 deputies, translates into at least 65 seats.
In this way, the absolute majority enjoyed by the PP-A In Parliament, of 58 deputies, is not enough on its own to elect the new Andalusian ombudsman, but requires the support of at least seven additional parliamentarians. In the current legislature, the Socialist Group has 30 deputies, Vox 14, Por Andalucía five and the Mixed Group-Adelante Andalucía is made up of two parliamentarians.
On this issue, the Secretary General of the PSOE-A, Juan Espadas, recently stressed in an interview with Europa Press that the majority group in the Chamber – the PP-A – They hadn’t sent him a proposal yet. to fill the vacant position of Defender, and regarding Jesús Maeztu’s comment that he would like a woman to replace her, the socialist leader defended that it was a “logical and coherent” comment.
In this regard, the secretary general of the PSOE-A stressed that “there are institutions and positions of responsibility in which there has never been a woman at the head”, so it would be “good news” that, just as “it happened today with the General Council of the Judiciary and the presidency of the Supreme Court”, a woman “assumes the functions of institutions of this level”, according to Espadas.
