Poland's constitutional court overhaul sparks protests and police deployment
Poland's prime minister, Donald Tusk, has defended a contested overhaul of the country's constitutional court after overnight protests and a confrontation over control of the tribunal. Riot police were deployed to protect the court building as the dispute escalated in Warsaw. The crisis centres on a long-running struggle over the judiciary that has again moved into the streets.
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In a prime-time television address on Saturday night, Tusk said the shake-up was necessary to restore a court he described as crippled by years of political conflict. He said there could be no compromise on the issue and argued that the tribunal in its current form, shaped under the previous Law and Justice administration, was not a genuine court. He also cited adverse rulings from European tribunals in support of his position.
The immediate trigger came on Friday, when a group of government-backed judges attempted to seize procedural control of the tribunal. That move led to the suspension of the PiS-appointed chief judge and deputy, and it prompted street protests outside the court. Tusk said the government would press ahead despite the backlash, while critics accused his camp of overreach.
The dispute matters because Poland's constitutional court has been at the centre of rule-of-law clashes between the right-wing Law and Justice party and the European Union for years. The court was paralysed for more than a decade, and Tusk has been trying to reverse earlier judicial changes since returning to office in 2023. His efforts have repeatedly run into resistance from opposition-aligned presidents with strong veto powers.
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Earlier this year, President Karol Nawrocki refused to swear in five judges approved by parliament, adding to the institutional deadlock. Tusk used his address to criticise Nawrocki for joining the protests on Friday night and entering the court building to intervene. He also said opposition anger over the overhaul was being amplified by forces hostile to democracy and the rule of law.
What remains unclear is how far the government can go in reshaping the tribunal and whether the confrontation will deepen. The immediate question is whether the court's leadership dispute can be resolved without further protests or legal challenges. The episode is the latest test of Poland's institutions as the government seeks to unwind changes made during the previous administration.
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