Attorney General of the State | |
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Fiscal General del Estado | |
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since 2 August 2022 | |
Public Prosecution Ministry | |
Style | The Most Excellent (formal) Madam Attorney General (informal) |
Member of | Prosecution Ministry Attorney General's Office |
Reports to | Minister of Justice |
Nominator | The Government, after hearing the General Council of the Judiciary |
Appointer | The King |
Term length | 4 years |
Constituting instrument | Spanish Constitution |
Formation | 1978 |
First holder | Juan Manuel Fanjul Sedeño |
Deputy | Lieutenant Attorney of the Supreme Court |
Salary | € 132,235 per year (2023) |
Website | www |
The Attorney General of the State (Spanish: Fiscal General del Estado), or also, Prosecutor General, is the head of the Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministerio Fiscal), the independent body within the Judiciary,[1] that is tasked with promoting the operation of justice in defence of the rule of law, defending citizens’ rights, defending the public interest, with protecting the independence of the courts and with ensuring the public interest is satisfied through the courts.[2]
The Prosecutor General is a civil servant, appointed and dismissed by the King, after a process that includes a nomination by the Government, a hearing before the General Council of the Judiciary and an appearance before the Congress to evaluate their suitability (although approval by Congress is not required). That is, the three powers of State participate in the appointment. The candidate must be a Spanish jurist of recognised prestige and with more than fifteen years effective exercise of their profession.[3]
The term of the Prosecutor General is a maximum of four years and may not be renewed (except where they have held the position for less than two years) and in any event terminates when the Government completes its term. They can not be removed from office except for as defined by law (disability or serious illness, serious or repeated breach of duties, and other prohibitions).[4]