The National School of Magistrates (ENM) in Bordeaux in 2009. -

PIERRE ANDRIEU / AFP

How many magistrates will be recruited in 2021?

A decree setting at 195 the number of places for the entrance exams to the National School of the Judiciary (ENM) sparked a new controversy between the magistrate's union and the Chancellery.

"Recruitment of magistrates: the account is not good", denounced this Tuesday the Syndicate of the magistrature (SM, classified on the left) in a press release.

"While the Minister of Justice boasts of a" historic "budget," torn with the teeth ", the recruitments of magistrates are decreasing significantly," says the union.

Four competitions in France

During the last two years, recalls the SM, 250 places had been opened to the three entrance exams to the ENM.

Questioned by AFP, the Chancellery denounced "a controversy mounted from scratch" and "a posture".

In 2021, assured the Chancellery, “there will be a net creation of jobs for magistrates” with “50 additional posts”.

"It is certainly not at this rate that France will upgrade to its European counterparts," replied the SM.

"With a positive balance of 50 new magistrates per year (...) it would take more than 150 years for France to reach the median of the Council of Europe states", estimated the union.

The three entrance exams are not the only way to enter the ENM.

A fourth competition, called "complementary", exists to meet the short-term needs of the judiciary.

It is aimed at people with at least seven years of professional experience in legal professions.

There is also a “professional recruitment”, ie on file, of professionals from the public or private sector and a “direct integration” after seven years of activity.

The number of magistrates rose from 8,427 in 2017 to 9,090 in 2021 (seat and public prosecutor's office), an increase in the workforce of nearly 10%, according to figures from the Chancellery.

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