The government has given the go-ahead for psycho-aptitude tests to enter the judiciary profession starting in 2026. The questionnaires are expected to be similar to the "Minnesota" tests already tried in other fields and will be used to assess the personality of candidates. The legislative decree, which was approved during the Council of Ministers, underwent changes until the last moment, but this did not dampen the protests of the National Association of Magistrates. It will be the Superior Council of the Magistracy that will designate the university professors specializing in psychology who will be part of the judging panel, on the recommendation of the National University Council, an independent body of the universities. The psycho-aptitude interview will take place during the oral test, but already after the written one the candidate will be given tests on a sheet of paper, identified by the CSM and modeled after those used for those conducted to police officers. These will form the basis for the future psycho-aptitude interview, which, however, will be directed by the chairman of the examining board, and not by a psychologist (who will be present only as an aid), to whom the final judgment on the entirety of the tests is collegially delegated. This is a significant change from the previous version of the decree, which required the Minister of Justice to appoint expert commissions and oversee the tests in cooperation with the CSM. In the legislative decree that will go into effect, there will be a double guarantee: the CSM will regulate the tests in general and the examining board will make the specific decisions. Aspiring magistrates will have the opportunity to retake the entrance exam up to four times.
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