Bill to shield RTVE's independence and give EFE its own law

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would change how RTVE's board members are chosen: an Experts Committee would shortlist candidates on merit, and the Cortes Generales (Spanish Parliament) would pick from that list, with five men and five women. If no one gets the required majority, the highest scored candidates would be appointed.
2. It would expand ineligibility rules: anyone who in the previous five years held an elected or political office, or a directive role in unions or political parties, could not be a board member.
3. The EFE news agency would get its own law for the first time, with a six member board (four elected by the Congress of Deputies and two by the Senate) using the same selection system as RTVE.
4. The Congress of Deputies would elect RTVE's chair from among the elected board members, by a three fifths majority. If no candidate wins, the one with the highest merit score would be appointed.
5. Board members would serve six year, non renewable terms. The bill sets individual and collective removal grounds, such as budget deviations or failing public service performance indicators.
6. The bill would repeal the current RTVE Law 17/2006 and would take effect the day after its publication in the official gazette, except for provisions affecting the budget.

Words worth knowing

Comisión Mixta

A committee of deputies and senators that oversees, on behalf of Parliament, compliance with the public service mission.

Mayoría de tres quintos

A supermajority: at least 3 out of 5 members of a chamber must vote in favor.

Sociedad mercantil estatal

A state owned company that operates under private company rules.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries