Poland's PM Tusk moves to overhaul constitutional court

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 05:14 · Archive

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has enforced the appointment of a new constitutional court head, suspending the sitting president and vice-president.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has forced the appointment of a new head to Poland's constitutional court and suspended the sitting president and vice-president, in an effort to overturn the influence of the previous Law and Justice government. The crisis escalated over the weekend as right-wing demonstrators gathered outside the court building in the early hours of Saturday morning, and President Karol Nawrocki, backed by the PiS party, pushed past security forces to protest.

Tusk's government argues that removing appointees made under the previous PiS administration is essential to restore the court's legitimacy and bring Poland into line with EU rule-of-law standards. The constitutional court has been dominated by PiS-friendly judges since 2015, when that party was in power.

Tusk's efforts have been repeatedly blocked by President Nawrocki's refusal to endorse the appointment of new judges. The Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe, ruled last month that the new judges have the constitutional right to take their positions with or without the president's endorsement. The European Commission reaffirmed this position on Sunday.

How it is being reported

• Poland’s court fight boils overPoland’s long-simmering rule-of-law issue reached boiling point this weekend. So, what now? On today’s show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson unpack Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s efforts to undo judicial appointments made under the previous right-wing Law and Justice government. Tusk’s administration argues that removing these PiS-era appointees is essential to bringing Poland back into line […]Politico Europe · 3 Nov, 05:05
• The Guardian view on Poland’s political turmoil: an ominous portent of bigger battles to come | EditorialDonald Tusk is attempting to restore legitimacy to the country’s constitutional court. In a polarised country and continent, that carries political risks The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, must occasionally look towards Budapest and sigh. A landslide victory in elections last spring enabled Hungary’s new prime minister, Péter Magyar, to act with ruthless determination to clean up the country’s politics after 16 years of corrupt Orbánisation . Mr Tusk, whose centrist coalition ousted the far-right Law and Justice party (PiS) in 2023, is similarly taking on the legacy of a government…The Guardian · 2 Nov, 18:52

In this story: Donald Tusk · Karol Nawrocki · Law and Justice · Poland · European Commission · Venice Commission

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