Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal Standoff Intensifies as Police Deploy Amid Judicial Power Struggle
Police deployed around Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal on Friday as protests erupted over the suspension of the court’s president, Bogdan Święczkowski, in a standoff between the pro-European government and the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party. The move came after the tribunal’s website temporarily went offline, raising questions about the official rationale for Święczkowski’s removal. Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who had been en route to Senegal, canceled his trip and returned to Warsaw to address the crisis, according to his chief of staff.
Poland European Union Justice Protests Police Tribunal 67eda2e3a151e00038d85a5e894a2a72
The government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, defended the suspension as a step toward restoring judicial independence. Restoring the rule of law is our duty,
Tusk wrote on X, framing the action as a necessary effort to counter years of “lawlessness” under PiS. However, the Constitutional Tribunal itself condemned the move, labeling it a “coup d’état” and asserting that the suspended judges remained legally appointed. The tribunal’s official X account warned that all persons participating in these actions are committing the crime of a coup d’état.
Supporters of PiS, the former ruling party, rallied outside the tribunal, accusing Tusk of undermining the judiciary. Protesters chanted “Tusk traitor,” while the BBC reported escalating tensions between the government and the court’s top judges. The standoff has deepened a decade-long dispute over judicial reforms imposed by PiS, which the European Union (EU) has criticized as eroding judicial independence. In 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) found serious violations of EU law related to Poland’s judicial system, and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) issued interim measures in May 2026 to protect judges blocked from their duties.
Police deployed during stand-off over control of top Poland
President Nawrocki, backed by PiS, has repeatedly opposed Tusk’s efforts to reverse PiS-era changes. His administration has used presidential vetoes to block the government’s attempts to restore judicial independence, including refusing to swear in five Constitutional Court judges elected by parliament since March. One such judge, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, was placed in temporary charge of the court following Święczkowski’s suspension. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek announced requests to strip Święczkowski and his deputy of legal immunity, citing potential criminal charges.
Riot Police Deploy Around Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal After Bogdan
The EU has maintained a watchful stance on Poland’s judicial reforms, with legal analyses emphasizing that while Article 19(1) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) mandates effective judicial protection, EU institutions lack authority to appoint Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal leadership. The dispute has become a focal point in broader tensions between Poland’s pro-EU government and PiS, which governed from 2015 to 2023. As the standoff continues, the outcome could shape Poland’s relationship with the EU and the future of its judicial system.
More on Constitutional Tribunal
What is happening in Poland right now is an illegal takeover of the Constitutional Tribunal.Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, who is not fully recognized as a judge (the President never accepted her oath and the current Tribunal leadership does not recognize her as a legitimate judge),…
— https://x.com/HeavyGoatOG/status/2116327259934171488