Margarida Marticella Elected Dean of Andorran Bar Association in First Vote in 25 Years

Margarida Marticella, a lawyer from the Bellocq López Marticella firm, has been elected dean of the Andorran Bar Association (CADA) with 60% of the votes in the body's first election in 25 years. She defeated rival candidate Josep Antoni Silvestre, whose late-entry list failed to secure any seats on the new board despite strong turnout.

Of 228 practicing lawyers, 202 cast ballots—95 in person and the rest by proxy—marking unprecedented mobilization since the last vote in 1999. Voters used an open-list system, freely mixing candidates from both slates. All of Marticella's nominees prevailed: Sílvia Estrada as secretary, Concepció Criado as treasurer, and vocal members Elsa Bucquet, Gerard Farré, Catalina Llufriu, Gal·la Ballesté, and Anton Borrell.

Marticella's "continuista" list, backed by the outgoing board and major firms, faced a vigorous challenge from Silvestre's group, largely comprising lawyers handling guards and court-appointed cases. None of their candidates won positions, but the contest highlighted frustrations over low pay for guards and public defense work, now central to the new leadership's agenda.

The incoming dean described guard remuneration as "very low" and civil/administrative court-appointed fees as "manifestly insufficient," falling below the Bar Association's minimum rates despite recent improvements. She pledged to prioritize parity in upcoming talks with the government.

Marticella thanked supporters and committed to a board reflecting all views. She has already met Silvestre to discuss concerns and integrate them into the action plan. Silvestre, in turn, credited the "Silvestre effect" for the day's energy, calling it a "democracy party." Further details are pending.