Nawrocki Enters Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal Amid Political Crisis
World
Polish President Karol Nawrocki entered the Constitutional Tribunal building in Warsaw shortly before 1 a.m. on October 31, pushing through a police cordon as a dispute over the court’s leadership escalated.
According to The Guardian, a scuffle broke out at the entrance involving the president and people gathered there. Video footage showed Nawrocki making his way inside. At about 4 a.m. local time, he was still in the building. In a clip circulated online, he is heard saying that people appointed by the government “are not judges of the Constitutional Tribunal”.
A statement issued in the president’s name described the events as a violation of Poland’s constitutional order and said a constitutional body had been “seized by force”. Nawrocki called on security forces to leave the court premises.
The escalation followed a decision by Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska to suspend Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski and his deputy, Bartłomiej Sochański, from performing their duties. Korwin-Piotrowska said she would take over the court’s leadership. Święczkowski and supporters of the previous leadership challenged the decision. An X account associated with them claimed the tribunal’s website had been unlawfully taken over. The court’s website, however, says the account does not represent the institution.
Maciej Berek, a judge elected by parliament but not admitted to take up his post, said Nawrocki had “chosen the path of physical confrontation”. Senator and former justice minister Krzysztof Kwiatkowski also accused the president and his staff of entering the building without authorisation and attacking judges.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government says the suspension is necessary to restore the rule of law in a court it considers to have been politicised under the previous administration. Nawrocki and the opposition Law and Justice party maintain that the move is unlawful. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski backed the government’s position.
The crisis is part of a long-running dispute over the tribunal’s composition and the status of judges elected by parliament. After spending several hours inside the building, Nawrocki announced urgent consultations with representatives of all political forces. The opposing sides continue to offer conflicting interpretations of the legality of the decisions and the judges’ authority. Further developments will depend on whether government and court representatives can agree on how the institution should operate and how the dispute can be resolved.
A statement issued in the president’s name described the events as a violation of Poland’s constitutional order and said a constitutional body had been “seized by force”. Nawrocki called on security forces to leave the court premises.
The escalation followed a decision by Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska to suspend Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski and his deputy, Bartłomiej Sochański, from performing their duties. Korwin-Piotrowska said she would take over the court’s leadership. Święczkowski and supporters of the previous leadership challenged the decision. An X account associated with them claimed the tribunal’s website had been unlawfully taken over. The court’s website, however, says the account does not represent the institution.
Maciej Berek, a judge elected by parliament but not admitted to take up his post, said Nawrocki had “chosen the path of physical confrontation”. Senator and former justice minister Krzysztof Kwiatkowski also accused the president and his staff of entering the building without authorisation and attacking judges.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government says the suspension is necessary to restore the rule of law in a court it considers to have been politicised under the previous administration. Nawrocki and the opposition Law and Justice party maintain that the move is unlawful. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski backed the government’s position.
The crisis is part of a long-running dispute over the tribunal’s composition and the status of judges elected by parliament. After spending several hours inside the building, Nawrocki announced urgent consultations with representatives of all political forces. The opposing sides continue to offer conflicting interpretations of the legality of the decisions and the judges’ authority. Further developments will depend on whether government and court representatives can agree on how the institution should operate and how the dispute can be resolved.
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