Poland's Constitutional Tribunal Chief Suspended as Standoff Between Tusk and Opposition Deepens

Police in Poland sealed off the building of the country's Constitutional Tribunal on the evening of October 30, the Associated Press reported. The step followed an announcement on the court's website that its president, Bogdan Święczkowski, and his deputy had been suspended. Protesters began gathering outside. The Constitutional Tribunal is the body that reviews whether Polish laws comply with the constitution, so the dispute over who leads it affects the wider judicial system.

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Prime Minister Donald Tusk, commenting on Święczkowski's suspension, said that restoring the rule of law is a process requiring decisive action. The suspended deputy and opposition politicians described the events as a "coup."

As the situation developed, Polish President Karol Nawrocki cut short a visit to Senegal and said he was returning to Poland.

Background of the conflict

The dispute over the tribunal between Tusk's government and the opposition Law and Justice party (PiS), which held power until 2023, has lasted several months. It started when Nawrocki, who is backed by Law and Justice, refused to swear in three new judges elected by the current parliament.

Tusk and his government do not recognize the tribunal's legitimacy, because judges appointed under Law and Justice remain on the court.