200 new prosecutor positions in Spain: what changes in 2026 for the judicial system

Key data

Spain significantly expands its prosecutorial capacity. The Royal Decree 560/2026, published on July 9, 2026, creates 200 new positions in the Public Prosecutor's Office to respond to the judicial expansion provided for in RD 559/2026, which contemplates 500 new judicial units. The total organic staff increases from previous figures to 3,004 prosecutors, with an effective date of December 31, 2026, coinciding with the first block of judicial positions under that decree.

The reform is not merely quantitative. Specialized positions are created in areas of high social and institutional demand, from gender-based violence to cybercrime, and for the first time a figure of Senior Prosecutor responsible for Data Protection is established.

What does this regulation establish?

RD 560/2026 modifies the organic staff of the Public Prosecutor's Office to adapt it to the new needs of the judicial system. The 200 positions are distributed in two categories:

• 1 first category position: intended for the new figure of Senior Prosecutor responsible for Data Protection.
• 199 second category positions: distributed among specialized territorial prosecutor's offices and the new violence against women sections.

The 8 new positions for Violence Against Women Sections are located in the following municipalities:

In addition to strengthening gender-based violence prosecution, the decree enhances specialized prosecutor's offices in the following areas:

• Hate crimes
• Human trafficking
• International cooperation
• Cybercrime

The creation of a Senior Prosecutor for Data Protection is a relevant innovation: for the first time the Public Prosecutor's Office will have a top-level position specialized in this matter, which strengthens the capacity to prosecute serious violations related to unlawful processing of personal data.

Economic and operational impact

The expansion of the prosecutorial staff has direct consequences on the functioning of the judicial system and, by extension, on companies and individuals operating within it:

• Greater investigative and prosecution capacity in economic crimes, cybercrime and data protection, areas of increasing business litigation.
• Reduction of time in criminal proceedings thanks to the strengthening of territorial prosecutor's offices, which can accelerate the resolution of cases with business involvement.
• Greater prosecutorial pressure on cybercrime and data protection: the creation of the Senior Prosecutor for Data Protection increases the risk of criminal prosecution for companies with irregular data processing practices.
• Strengthening in specific geographic areas: the 8 new violence against women positions are concentrated in medium and large cities, improving territorial coverage.

From a budgetary perspective, the incorporation of 200 prosecutors represents a structural increase in personnel spending for the Public Prosecutor's Office, although the decree does not detail the total economic cost of the measure.

Who does it affect?

• Candidates for the Prosecutor Career: the staff expansion opens expectations for new competitive examination calls to fill the created positions.
• Active prosecutors: new positions imply possible transfers, competitions and internal reorganization of assignments.
• Companies with exposure to criminal risks: especially in data protection, cybercrime and hate crimes, where the strengthening of the prosecutor's office increases investigative capacity.
• Victims of gender-based violence: the 8 new territorial positions improve attention and procedural agility in the benefited municipalities.
• Citizens and companies in litigation: a more strengthened prosecutorial system can translate into more agile procedures and a higher rate of criminal case resolution.
• Criminal law firms: the strengthening of specialized prosecution requires greater technical preparation in the strengthened areas.

Practical example

A technology company based in Badalona that manages customer personal data faces a new scenario as of December 31, 2026: the local prosecutor's office will have a specific position for Violence Against Women, freeing up general resources, and at the national level there will be for the first time a Senior Prosecutor for Data Protection with the capacity to coordinate criminal investigations into unlawful data processing.

If that company suffers a security breach or is reported for misuse of data, the response from the Public Prosecutor's Office will be more specialized and agile than before the reform. This reinforces the need to have an updated and documented data protection compliance program before the new positions come into effect.

What should companies do now?

1. Review the data protection compliance program before December 31, 2026, the date when the new Senior Prosecutor for Data Protection will be operational.
2. Assess criminal exposure in cybercrime: the strengthening of specialized prosecution increases the risk of investigation for companies with security incidents not properly managed.
3. If you are a candidate for the Prosecutor Career, stay alert to the calls that the Ministry of Justice publishes to fill the 200 new positions, whose validity starts on December 31, 2026.
4. If you manage a criminal law firm, strengthen specialization in the areas where prosecution has been strengthened: data protection, hate crimes, human trafficking and cybercrime.
5. Consult RD 559/2026 as a complement, as it regulates the 500 new judicial units that provide context for this prosecutorial expansion.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-14879