With regard to the recent election of Ms María Elósegui Ichaso as judge of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in respect of Spain, S&D Group vice-presidents Elena Valenciano and Tanja Fajon said:  
 
"We fully respect the competences and decision-making procedures of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to elect judges of the ECHR, but nevertheless we would like to express our serious concern about the recent election of María Elósegui given her controversial background of statements and opinions linking homosexuality to the development of a number of pathologies, or arguing in favour of psychological and psychiatric therapies for transgender persons.
 
"We are very worried about in whose hands we are putting the final decision when it comes to the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms of 800 million Europeans in 47 countries.  We believe there should be a reconsideration of this election as Ms Elosegui's background should not qualify her for the responsibility of being an ECHR judge".