Polish president returns home as court president suspended

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 05:03 · Archive

Poland's President Karol Nawrocki turned his plane around and returned home after police entered the Constitutional Tribunal and its president was suspended.

Poland's President Karol Nawrocki turned his plane around en route to Senegal on Friday after the government suspended the Constitutional Tribunal's president, Bogdan Swieczkowski, and moved to bring criminal charges against him and another senior justice. Nawrocki, who is backed by the opposition Law and Justice party, announced his return on social media: "At such a moment, the President must be in Poland. I am cutting short my flight to Senegal. I am returning."

Riot police were deployed outside the tribunal in Warsaw as demonstrators gathered to protest the suspensions. Protesters threw objects at officers. Some held signs reading "Down with the commies and Tusk's regime" and "Stop destroying the state," whilst others were seen praying outside the building.

The dispute stems from a long-running conflict over the tribunal's composition. Nawrocki, an ally of the opposition Law and Justice party which ruled Poland from 2015 to 2023, refused to swear in three of six judges nominated by parliament earlier this year. Swieczkowski, who was appointed by the Law and Justice government and previously served as deputy justice minister, declined to allow judges elected by the current parliamentary majority to assume their duties.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who returned to power in 2023 with a promise to restore judicial independence, said on Friday evening that restoring the rule of law was the government's obligation. "After years of lawlessness under PiS this is a difficult process, sometimes painful and it requires decisive action," he wrote on social media.

The Constitutional Tribunal has been a major flashpoint between Tusk's pro-European government and the opposition Law and Justice party, which critics accuse of imposing political control over judicial institutions. The conflict has resulted in EU fines on Poland. Outlets describe the tribunal as effectively paralysed by the political dispute.

How it is being reported

• Poland’s president joins protest amid constitutional crisis at top courtPoland’s president has cut short a trip to Senegal, joining protesters facing off with police.Al Jazeera · 31 Oct, 02:24
• Poland's president turns back from Senegal trip as court chief's ousting sparks crisisRiot police were deployed to Poland's Constitutional Tribunal on Friday as hundreds of demonstrators gathered to protest against the suspension of the top court's president by the current pro-European government.Sky News · 31 Oct, 01:16
• Polish president turns plane around after 'coup' at nation’s top courtTensions between Poland’s president and prime minister intensified as demonstrators rally outside the country’s top court.Fox News · 30 Oct, 22:32
• Polish president turns back from foreign trip as police and protesters clash over ‘constitutional crisis’The president of the country’s top court has been suspendedIndependent World · 30 Oct, 21:54

In this story: Karol Nawrocki · Bogdan Swieczkowski · Donald Tusk · Law and Justice · Constitutional Tribunal · Poland · Warsaw · Senegal

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log