Heated debate

Italy wants to introduce psychological tests for judges

Symbolic image(Bild: de Art - stock.adobe.com)

The government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wants to introduce psychological aptitude tests for judges and public prosecutors in future. The Italian judges' union ANM is outraged by this and now wants to protest against this plan.

Anyone wishing to fill a position as a judge or public prosecutor in Italy will in future have to undergo a psychological aptitude test, according to a recent decision by the Senate's Justice Committee. The committee therefore adopted a motion supported by the governing parties. This calls on the government to examine the introduction of psychological aptitude tests for candidates for positions in the Italian judiciary. The Senate must now vote on the plan in a plenary session.

The Association of Judges (ANM) is less enthusiastic about this idea and emphasizes that the current tests are already a very selective procedure for choosing a candidate for a position as a public prosecutor or judge.

Judges' unions identify "attempt to discredit"
"Once again, the political parties are trying to discredit the judiciary by raising suspicions among citizens that the selection and assessment mechanisms for judges and prosecutors do not offer sufficient guarantees of 'psychological balance'. In fact, the government is being urged to introduce psycho-academic tests for admission to the judiciary without clarifying what these tests should consist of and on what reliable scientific basis they should be based. The demagogic nature of this measure is all too obvious," reads a statement from the judges' unions.

Behavior in stressful situations is crucial
Erika Stefani, the head of the Lega delegation to the committee, defended the decision of the Justice Committee. "Psychological aptitude tests are carried out in many public selection procedures, so we don't see a problem here. It is right that an applicant's ability to deal with certain stressful situations in such delicate, responsible tasks must be tested," said Stefani.

This view is shared by lawyer and Lega senator Giulia Bongiorno: "Of course we have to pay attention to how these tests are carried out, which must always respect the person," explained Bongiorno.

The opposition Five Star Movement is critical of this. It complained that the Meloni government's reforms were aimed at subjecting the judiciary to the control and covert direction of the governing coalition.