Polish President Nawrocki Calls Constitutional Tribunal Takeover Forcible

Polish President Karol Nawrocki turned his aircraft around while en route to Senegal to land at the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw. He arrived early on Saturday after the court’s longest-serving judge, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, suspended tribunal president Bogdan Swieczkowski late on Friday. This action placed Korwin-Piotrowska in charge of the court and intensified a conflict between the executive branches of the government.

Nawrocki, an ally of the previous hard-right government, accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk of staging a forced takeover of the institution. Speaking outside the court headquarters, Nawrocki stated that a breach of public order occurred in the Republic of Poland. He described the event as a forcible takeover of a constitutional body.

Riot police have guarded the court since Friday afternoon. Several hundred protesters gathered at the site to demand the reinstatement of Swieczkowski, who was an appointee of Tusk’s nationalist predecessor. Nawrocki held political consultations throughout Saturday following his arrival.

Prime Minister Tusk addressed the nation in a televised speech to reassure the public that the Constitutional Tribunal will operate according to the law. He stated that the court functions independently of him and in line with the constitution. Tusk said the executive branch’s task is to ensure the court’s safety and working conditions.

Tusk wrote on the social media platform X that his government is working to restore the rule of law. He noted that the European Union had previously accused his predecessors, the Law and Justice Party, of subverting legal standards. Tusk described the process as difficult and sometimes painful, stating that it requires decisive action.

The dispute over the Constitutional Tribunal dates back to 2015, when the Law and Justice Party sought to appoint judges to seats already filled by the prior administration. Their nominees gained a majority on the bench, leading critics to argue the court lost its independence. Tusk’s coalition took office in 2023 with a pledge to reform the court.

Tensions escalated after Nawrocki was elected president in 2025. Earlier this year, he refused to swear in three of six judges nominated by parliament. Swieczkowski, a former deputy justice minister under Law and Justice, declined to seat judges elected by the current parliamentary majority. Last month, parliament appointed Tusk ally Maciej Berek to the tribunal, a move critics said undermined the government’s goal of restoring checks and balances.