Poland's prime minister vows rule of law amid Constitutional Tribunal standoff

Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed the nation on Saturday, saying the rule of law must prevail as tensions over Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal intensify. The dispute escalated on Friday when President Karol Nawrocki attempted to enter the Tribunal building while police blocked access, highlighting a deadlock over the appointment of new judges.

Tusk described the incident as a "scandalous" episode and warned that such scenes should not recur. He asserted that a democratic state must be capable of enforcing justice and that no politician, including the president, has the right to enter a court, issue instructions to judges, or intimidate them.

The prime minister said his government’s proposals to resolve the crisis were obstructed by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party and the president, noting that the Sejm had elected new judges who took their oaths, but the president did not receive them. Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski also refused to allow the new judges to assume their duties.

Tusk emphasized that the newly elected judges were legally appointed and that lawlessness could not be negotiated. He warned that pro-Russian groups could exploit the conflict, citing online activity he described as Russian-linked bots supporting opponents of Poland’s constitutional order.

While pledging to provide the Tribunal with security and conditions to operate independently, Tusk did not outline a specific agreement with President Nawrocki or a detailed plan to end the standoff.