Government clashes with Court of Auditors over promotion of 10 magistrates

A dispute has erupted between the Italian government and the Court of Auditors concerning the promotion of 10 magistrates. The government, through Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council Alfredo Mantovano, has expressed irritation, labeling the promotions as "inopportune." The core of the disagreement lies in the Court of Auditors' presidency promoting magistrates to section president positions on February 25, a move that predates the full implementation of a recent reform law.

Mantovano informed the government about the situation, highlighting "criticalities" in the procedure. He noted that the promotion orders did not mention the reform law, which took effect January 22, granting the government authority to reorganize the Court of Auditors, including its staff and leadership positions. A technical table has been established at Palazzo Chigi to prepare the decree for this law, and Mantovano suggested the Court's presidency should have exercised caution.

The undersecretary questioned the urgency of some promotions, particularly for a magistrate who remains "out of role" and for an additional section president when a titular president already exists in the destination section. He proposed that temporary coverage could have been achieved through "additional assignments" to existing qualified magistrates, rather than proceeding with new promotions, a possibility he claims was not considered.

While acknowledging the formal legitimacy of the promotion measures, Mantovano pointed to four key issues. He argued that the stated need to fill positions was inconsistent with promoting a magistrate who would continue to be outside the standard role. Furthermore, the urgency for appointing an additional president seemed questionable given the presence of a titular president in the relevant section. The government suggested that temporary assignments would have been a more appropriate solution instead of new promotions.

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inopportune