Andorra Lawyers' Election Sparks Row Over Judicial Votes

Tensions have emerged within Andorra's legal community following Monday's elections at the Col·legi d’Advocats, where some senior judicial figures appear to have cast votes as non-practising lawyers, breaching an unwritten expectation of neutrality.

The elections drew unusually high engagement, with both competing slates mobilising extensively amid broader concerns about internal issues in the profession. A total of 202 out of 228 practising lawyers voted, many attending the assembly in person—over 100 showed up—while carrying delegated votes. More than 60 non-practising lawyers also participated, though only four attended the Col·legi headquarters directly.

The process, involving public oversight of delegations and voting, highlighted moves that some viewed as crossing professional lines. Among those named were State Attorney General Xavier Sopena, a former dean of the Col·legi, and Batllia President David Moynat, both registered as non-practising lawyers. While they have the legal right to vote, tradition holds that officials in such roles abstain to maintain impartiality—a norm they reportedly set aside this time.

Outgoing dean Sònia Baixench received some of these "jurisdictional" delegated votes, fuelling discontent among parts of the advocacy community. The episode has sparked irritation, reflecting the charged atmosphere of what many described as the first genuinely contested elections in years at the Col·legi.