News Desk: Poland is facing a fresh political crisis after the suspension of the head of its Constitutional Tribunal triggered protests, a heavy police deployment and a confrontation between the country's president and the judge who took charge of the court. The latest developments have intensified the ongoing power struggle between Prime Minister Donald Tusk's pro-European government and the nationalist right-wing opposition.
The controversy began on Friday when Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, the Constitutional Tribunal's longest-serving judge, announced the suspension of tribunal president Bogdan Swieczkowski and assumed control of the court. Swieczkowski was appointed during the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, which ruled Poland from 2015 to 2023.
The move immediately triggered political reactions, with right-wing leaders accusing Tusk's government of attempting to stage a coup. The dispute also brought hundreds of opposition supporters onto the streets of Warsaw, where protests took place around the Constitutional Tribunal.
Riot police were deployed outside the court building as tensions increased. According to reports, some protesters attempted to cross security barricades, prompting police action. Three people were arrested for allegedly trying to enter the tribunal complex. Protesters were also heard chanting slogans against Prime Minister Tusk and accusing his government of undermining constitutional rights.
The situation took another turn when Polish President Karol Nawrocki abruptly cut short his official visit to Senegal and returned to Poland. Nawrocki, who is aligned with the PiS camp, announced his decision while travelling, saying that the president needed to be in the country during such a critical moment.
After returning to Warsaw, Nawrocki met Swieczkowski and the tribunal's First President, Zbigniew Kapinski, at the presidential palace. He later visited the Constitutional Tribunal building alongside Kapinski.
A video shared by Russian state-backed media RT reportedly showed Nawrocki confronting Korwin-Piotrowska. During the exchange, he was heard saying, "You are not the judges of the Constitutional Court."
Prime Minister Donald Tusk defended the developments, arguing that restoring the rule of law was a responsibility of his government. He said the process of correcting problems created during the previous PiS administration could be difficult but required decisive action.
Justice Minister and Attorney General Waldemar Zurek also confirmed that he had requested the lifting of legal immunity granted to Swieczkowski and his deputy, Bartlomiej Sochanski. He argued that the tribunal's functioning needed to be restored.
Korwin-Piotrowska, meanwhile, defended the importance of the Constitutional Tribunal, describing it as an essential institution for protecting citizens' rights and freedoms in a democratic state.
The tribunal's official social media account also accused the authorities of carrying out a coup d'etat. It maintained that Swieczkowski remained in office and questioned Korwin-Piotrowska's authority to become interim chief, arguing that she had not been sworn in by the president.
The confrontation is rooted in a long-running dispute over judicial appointments. The PiS government appointed several judges during its time in power, while Tusk's coalition, which took office in 2023, has promised to reform the judiciary and address concerns over the tribunal's independence.
President Nawrocki has opposed several of these reform efforts since taking office in 2025. The latest developments have further complicated relations between the government and the presidency, leaving Poland's judicial system at the centre of an escalating constitutional dispute.
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