From 28 to 29 April 2026 the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, together with the judge elected in respect of Spain, María Elósegui, and the Registrar of the Court, Marialena Tsirli, travelled to Madrid, Spain, to meet with representatives of the Spanish judiciary and with His Majesty King Felipe VI.

On 28 April the delegation was received at the Supreme Court of Spain by its President, Isabel Perelló Doménech, and by other members of the Court.

After the reception, President Guyomar gave a lecture on “The Independence of the Judiciary, a Fundamental Principle of the Rule of Law”.

The President emphasised the importance of dialogue between the European Court of Human Rights and national courts. He also addressed criticisms of the Convention system and the inseparability of democracy and the rule of law.

On 29 April the delegation visited the Constitutional Court of Spain, where it was received by President Cándido Conde Pumpido Tourón and other judges.

Later that day, President Guyomar delivered a speech on “European Public Order and Constitutional Identities”. 

He stressed the role of constitutional courts in the Convention system and pointed out that the Court was very attentive to the constitutional identity of member States, relying on close dialogue with constitutional courts in that connection. 

On 29 April His Majesty King Felipe VI granted the President of the European Court of Human Rights, the President of the Constitutional Court of Spain, and the President of the Supreme Court of Spain a personal audience with him at Zarzuela Palace.

• Speech by President Mattias Guyomar (Constitutional Court of Spain) (in French only)