(Washington) US President Joe Biden is considering reforms to the country’s highest court, the Supreme Court, such as establishing life limits on currently appointed judges or establishing ethics codes, several US media reported on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court makes decisions on important social issues such as abortion rights, gun control, and the ability of federal agencies to regulate subjects such as the environment.
The jurisdiction, which currently has a conservative majority, has been unfavorable to the Democratic camp in recent years.
Among the measures planned by Joe Biden is the implementation of a constitutional amendment that would overturn the Supreme Court’s recent decision on presidential immunity, giving the president broad criminal immunity, seen as a victory for Donald Trump.
But such changes require congressional approval, something nearly impossible since the House of Representatives currently has a conservative majority.
According to The New York TimesThe president, who has long resisted calls to reform the Supreme Court, may announce the outcome of these reflections in the coming weeks, but it was not immediately clear whether it would be part of his plan for the November election.
Donald Trump, during his term (2017-2021), appointed three judges who were close to his ideas. Of the nine justices that make up the Supreme Court, six are currently conservative, leading to continued backlash for Joe Biden and the Democratic camp.
The court struck down the federal right to abortion in 2022.
The Supreme Court is also mired in a series of ethics scandals.
A flag from the American Revolutionary War that has become a symbol of support for Donald Trump has been found at the home of conservative Justice Samuel Alito.
It was notably worn by supporters of the former president during the attack on the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021.
Judge Clarence Thomas, for his part, reviewed her financial statements after it was revealed that vacations and private flights were paid for by a wealthy conservative political donor.
The Supreme Court is thus increasingly seen as a partisan institution: 58% of Americans disapprove of how it’s doing its job, according to a Gallup Institute poll.
