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Police guard Poland’s constitutional court as government seeks judges’ prosecution
Riot police were deployed at Poland’s Constitutional Court during an escalating confrontation between Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government and judges associated with the former Law and Justice administration. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek sought to remove two senior judges’ immunity so they could face criminal charges, while the court said the judges remained legally appointed and PiS-backed President Karol Nawrocki entered the court. The dispute follows years of contested judicial appointments and European rulings questioning the court’s independence. Critics warn the latest intervention could deepen, rather than resolve, Poland’s rule-of-law crisis.
Editorial summary · Publisher article
What matters
- The government says senior judges obstructed the court and should face criminal charges.
- The court says the judges remain legally appointed and calls the actions an attempted coup.
- European courts previously found problems with PiS-era appointments and questioned the tribunal’s independence.
- Nawrocki has refused to swear in five judges elected by parliament.
Why the confrontation persists
Tusk’s government has struggled to reverse PiS-era judicial changes because presidential vetoes blocked reforms, leaving competing claims over appointments and the court’s authority.
Context & caveats
- The report includes sharply conflicting legal and political claims; the legality of the government’s actions remains contested.
Why this made the edition
The report provides a detailed account of an escalating constitutional crisis, the competing legal claims, institutional history and criticism from a constitutional-law expert.
Source material