Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki are locked in a deepening crisis over control of the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw after a night of confrontation at its headquarters.
On Friday evening, judges aligned with the current parliamentary majority declared a pause in the duties of the tribunal’s president, Bogdan Święczkowski, and his deputy, Bartłomiej Sochański. Protesters gathered outside, police entered the building, and Nawrocki cut short a state visit to Senegal, returning to Warsaw and forcing his way into the tribunal. He later accused the government of sending forces to the site and demanded the restoration of constitutional order, while allowing Sochański to enter the building.
Tusk addressed the nation on Saturday, blaming the opposition Law and Justice party and both President Andrzej Duda and Nawrocki for blocking legal reforms to restore the tribunal’s independence. He said the government had waited for the terms of PiS-appointed judges to expire and then selected replacements, but Nawrocki refused to administer their oaths and Święczkowski barred them from working. When the new judges attempted to take up their duties, Tusk said they were attacked, and police acted to protect the institution. “In certain matters, there can be no compromise,” Tusk declared, insisting that politicians must not issue orders to judges or intimidate them, even if they hold the presidency.
Nawrocki convened emergency consultations with parliamentary leaders on Saturday, citing threats to internal security and the need to stabilize the political situation. Representatives from PSL, Poland 2050, Razem, PiS, and Konfederacja attended, while the Centrist Club and Lewica refused, accusing the president of escalating the conflict. Konfederacja leaders proposed a constitutional reset, including a new method for selecting tribunal judges and shortening the Sejm’s term, which Nawrocki reportedly received with approval.
The tribunal’s spokeswoman, Weronika Ścibor, stated that the judges would not resign from their duties. Seven tribunal judges condemned the events as “completely unlawful” and urged state organs and political forces to resolve the crisis urgently. The head of the National Council of the Judiciary, Dariusz Zawistowski, called for the tribunal to be allowed to function normally, warning that political interference undermines the rule of law and citizens’ rights.
The European Commission said it was closely monitoring the events, reiterating that the tribunal must operate in line with Poland’s constitution and EU law. Commission officials noted that the power to appoint tribunal judges lies solely with the Sejm.
