Poland news: Nawrocki turns back as court chief suspended
Poland news: President Karol Nawrocki turned back from a Senegal trip on Friday after Constitutional Tribunal chief Bogdan Święczkowski was suspended, as riot police deployed around the court amid a deepening clash between Donald Tusk's government and PiS-appointed judges over rule-of-law reforms.
Key Takeaways
- President Karol Nawrocki aborted an official Senegal visit to return to Warsaw after the tribunal chief's suspension.
- Riot police guarded Poland's Constitutional Tribunal as PiS supporters protested the move against Bogdan Święczkowski.
- Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek sought to lift immunity for Święczkowski and deputy Bartłomiej Sochański.
- Żurek filed five immunity motions totaling 224 pages, backed by 50 volumes of materials, according to RMF24.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk framed the action as restoring the rule of law after years of PiS governance.
What happened in Warsaw on Friday?
Riot police were deployed around Poland's constitutional court after the apparent suspension of its chief justice, Bogdan Święczkowski. Dozens of officers guarded the entrance as followers of the opposition Law and Justice party (PiS) gathered to demonstrate.
The suspension was announced by another court judge, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska. The tribunal's official X account called the episode a "coup d'etat" and said Święczkowski remained in office. It also argued Korwin-Piotrowska could not become interim chief because she had not been sworn in by the president. The court's official website was not accessible on Friday evening, AFP reported via Yahoo News.
Why did President Nawrocki cancel his Senegal trip?
President Karol Nawrocki, a right-wing independent, called off a flight to Senegal for an official African visit so he could return to Warsaw. The decision came as the centrist government pressed its campaign to force out tribunal judges appointed under the previous PiS administration.
When PiS governed from 2015 to 2023, the European Union accused Poland's highest court of being too close to political power. The court ruled in favour of Polish legislation over EU law on several occasions. After winning in 2023, Prime Minister Donald Tusk vowed to end the dispute with Brussels, but Nawrocki has blocked his nominations to the court.
How is the government pursuing the tribunal leadership?
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek, who is also attorney general, told journalists he had requested the lifting of immunity for Święczkowski and his deputy Bartłomiej Sochański. According to RMF24, Żurek submitted five motions to the Constitutional Tribunal—four seeking consent to hold Święczkowski criminally liable and a fifth concerning Sochański's immunity.
The five motions run to 224 pages and were accompanied by 50 volumes of materials, received by the tribunal judge with the longest tenure. Żurek said further information would come from the tribunal itself.
Outside the building, PiS supporters chanted "Tusk traitor," with some saying prayers while holding rosaries and religious images. Tusk wrote on X that restoring the rule of law is a duty and that, after years of what he called PiS-led lawlessness, decisive action is required. For related market and policy coverage, see BlasterPost Fintech & Crypto Alerts.