Polish prime minister pushes court overhaul as protesters confront entrenched judicial powers
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Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the overhaul of Poland's constitutional court is vital to restore its independence, even as police protected the building, demonstrators filled the streets, and the president and opposition moved to defend a system many critics say was distorted under Law and Justice rule.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Saturday night that his government will press ahead with a contested reform of Poland's constitutional court, saying the changes are necessary to revive a tribunal that has been effectively paralyzed for years. The announcement came after riot police were deployed to protect the court building during overnight protests.
Tusk argued that the court, as shaped by the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, was not a genuine judicial body and pointed to rulings from European courts to bolster his position. He warned that groups seeking to weaken democracy have found encouragement among pro-Russian forces worldwide.
"In a democratic state, no politician can enter a court to issue orders or intimidate judges – not even the president," Tusk said, referring to President Karol Nawrocki's involvement in the protests.
The reform effort follows earlier attempts by the centre-right government, which returned to power in 2023, to undo judicial changes made during PiS's eight-year rule. President Nawrocki has previously refused to swear in five judges approved by parliament, and his senior aide called Tusk a "pathological liar."
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski acknowledged that the events outside the court were "not elegant" but argued that allowing the court's structure to remain would risk an "unconstitutional transformation of Poland into a presidential republic."
Legal experts remain divided on the legality of the temporary suspension of the court's PiS-appointed chief judge and deputy. Poland’s Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights described the legal basis for the suspension as "questionable" and warned it would not help restore the court's functioning.
The dispute unfolds ahead of next year’s parliamentary election, with polls indicating a close contest between Tusk's coalition and nationalist right-wing parties.