Poland’s constitutional court plunges into crisis as Tusk’s camp moves against judges and triggers public outrage
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A judge barred from hearing cases suspended Constitutional Tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski and his deputy, sparking protests, police tensions, and accusations that Prime Minister Donald Tusk is pushing an illegal assault on Poland’s institutions.
Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal was thrown into turmoil on Friday evening when a judge barred from hearing cases ordered the suspension of its president, Bogdan Święczkowski, and his deputy for a month, then declared she would assume leadership. Święczkowski rejected the move outright, calling it a “coup d’état,” while his deputy was turned away at the building’s gates, a scene that deepened concerns about the state’s descent into political chaos.
The episode is the latest escalation in Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s drive to overturn the changes made by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) former government, which had filled the court with its appointees over eight years in office. The tribunal, which can annul legislation, had previously upheld a near-total abortion ban and challenged EU law supremacy, and the European Court of Justice later said it fell short of the standards expected of judicial independence.
Outside the court, protesters clashed with police after objects were thrown at officers and three people were detained for climbing the fence. Police said they were deployed to protect judges and staff after receiving threats, though they did not enter the building, even as tempers rose and anger spread among supporters of the suspended leadership.
PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński joined the protest, tried to enter the tribunal, and accused Tusk of staging a “coup” and turning Poland into a “police state,” while calling for presidential intervention. President Karol Nawrocki, a PiS ally, cut short an official trip to Senegal, saying, “At a moment like this, the president must be in Poland.”
Tusk responded on X, writing, “Restoring the rule of law is our duty. After years of PiS lawlessness, it’s a difficult, sometimes painful process that requires decisive action. There is no other way.”
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek blamed Święczkowski for turning the institution into a “private fiefdom” and blocking newly elected judges from carrying out their duties. He said he had submitted five requests to lift the immunity of Święczkowski and his deputy, backed by extensive case files, and defended the suspending judge’s action as legally appointed, insisting the government was not involved.