Poland suspends top constitutional judge, triggering urgent presidential summit
President Karol Nawrocki convened political rivals at the presidential palace on Saturday after the sudden removal of Chief Judge Bogdan Swieczkowski, a move the ruling coalition calls necessary and the opposition calls a coup.
By Grace Anderson ·
The suspension of Bogdan Swieczkowski, the chief judge of Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal, triggered immediate political crisis talks at the presidential palace on Saturday. President Karol Nawrocki cited the sudden removal as a threat to internal security. The suspension occurred on Friday and prompted the president to call for urgent consultations before a breakthrough could be reached by Saturday afternoon.
Representatives from nationalist, far-right, and parts of the governing coalition attended the meeting. Donald Tusk, the prime minister, and his centrist Civic Coalition party did not participate. Tusk had previously accused the conservative opposition of seeking to destroy democracy and the rule of law. In a speech on Saturday evening, he reiterated that stance, stating, "Let's call things by their name," and noting that politicians in Poland have long wished to undermine democratic institutions.
The dispute centers on the independence of the Constitutional Tribunal, which serves as the highest court for constitutional matters. Tusk argued that the court judges were not politically neutral. He described the decision to remove Swieczkowski as painful but necessary to restore the rule of law after years of erosion under the previous right-wing government. The opposition Law and Justice party (PiS) had appointed Swieczkowski during its time in power from 2015 to 2023.
Tusk claimed that Swieczkowski used his authority to block parliament from electing new judges. The government contends that the court's PiS-aligned judges frequently ruled in favor of Polish legislation over European Union law. The court's official X account labeled the government's move a coup d'etat on Friday. Nawrocki, who is a right-wing figure, has also blocked nominations to the court during his administration.
Protesters supporting the opposition judges gathered outside the court on Saturday. These demonstrations extend a series of protests that have continued for weeks. The European Commission urged Nawrocki to accept nominations for new judges on Saturday, according to the AFP news agency. The commission aimed to resolve the constitutional impasse quickly.
United States Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose called for calm on all sides of the dispute. He warned against a confrontation that could worsen the situation. Rose wrote on X that the last thing Poland needs is a conflict that spirals into something far worse. The political standoff continues as key figures wait for a resolution to the judicial crisis.
No agreement was reached during the Saturday talks. The Constitutional Tribunal remains at the center of a long-standing political saga regarding the politicization of Polish courts. The next steps in the crisis depend on the outcome of these ongoing consultations and the reaction from the European Commission.
