Poland’s constitutional order faces a critical crisis after government-appointed judges suspended the court’s president, leading to a midnight standoff between riot police and protesters in Warsaw. President Karol Nawrocki intervened by turning his plane around mid-flight to occupy the tribunal building, while the pro-European government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk maintains the move is necessary to restore the rule of law.
Nawrocki occupies Constitutional Tribunal after mid-air detour
President Karol Nawrocki cancelled a trip to Senegal, turning his plane back while en route to the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, to intervene in the Warsaw standoff. According to his chief of staff, Nawrocki entered the constitutional court.
Tyle są warte ich słowa ! pic.twitter.com/i3skVKbkVY
Video footage shows the president pushing through security to enter the Constitutional Tribunal. In a statement released at 4:11 a.m., Nawrocki declared that a “violation of the constitutional order of the Republic of Poland occurred” and claimed a constitutional body had been “seized by force.” He demanded that security forces leave the premises and called for “urgent consultation” to stabilize the political situation.
Did you know? The Constitutional Tribunal holds the specific power to decide on the legality of legislation, making control of its bench a primary objective for opposing political factions in Poland.
pic.twitter.com/sni7uvIVke
Judges suspend Święczkowski amid legitimacy dispute
The confrontation began Friday evening when a group of judges elected by the current parliamentary majority moved to suspend the court’s president, Bogdan Święczkowski, and his deputy, Bartłomiej Sochański. Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, one of five judges whose appointments President Nawrocki had previously refused to swear in, announced she has assumed the top position based on her judicial experience.
The legality of this suspension is heavily contested.
🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/Q3Ut6Or6BC
Tusk government cites years of PiS lawlessness
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has defended the actions as a mandatory step to mend Poland’s relationship with the European Union. Tusk wrote on X that restoring the rule of law is a “duty” and described the process as “difficult, sometimes painful” following years of “lawlessness” under the PiS government.
Context Check: The European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union previously ruled that the PiS-led government improperly elected three judges, leading the EU to impose fines on Poland.
A judge whose oath was never accepted by the President @NawrockiKn has declared herself head of the Constitutional Tribunal @TK_GOV_PL and suspended its leadership, while police secured the building. This is not how the rule of law is restored. The Tribunal's crisis is real,…
Timeline of the judicial conflict
The current standoff is the latest escalation in a decade-long struggle over the court’s composition:
- 2015: The PiS-led government took office and swiftly appointed judges to secure a majority on the court.
- 2023: Donald Tusk’s pro-European government came to power pledging to reverse these reforms and restore judicial independence.
- Recent: President Nawrocki refused to swear in five judges elected by the current parliament.
- Friday Night: Government-aligned judges suspended President Święczkowski, sparking protests and the subsequent presidential intervention.
Right-wing figures criticize raid as police detain protesters
The event has drawn sharp criticism from international right-wing figures. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the situation as “very serious,” characterizing the raid on the court as an effort to “defend the undemocratic EU.”
U.S. Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose noted on X that both sides are offering “sharply different accounts” and warned that the presence of thousands of protesters makes an already dangerous situation “more combustible.”
On the ground, police detained three people after protesters attempted to breach the tribunal’s fence and threw objects at officers. The Constitutional Court’s own social media account has labeled the government’s actions a “coup d’etat.”
The stand off around Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal is about restoring rule of law to an institution which had been politicised by the populist government which lost power in the election of 2023. Its president repeatedly broke the law by steering politically sensitive cases…
Poland’s Judicial Control Comparison
| Position | PiS-Aligned View | Tusk Government View |
|---|---|---|
| Court President | Legally appointed; suspension is a “criminal attack.” | Blocking lawfully elected judges; must be removed. |
| New Appointments | Selection procedures were flawed. | Duly elected by parliament to restore rule of law. |
| EU Role | Undemocratic interference in national sovereignty. | Essential standard for judicial independence. |
Constitutional Tribunal Conflict FAQ
Who is currently in control of the Constitutional Tribunal?
Control is disputed. Anna Korwin-Piotrowska has claimed the top position, while President Karol Nawrocki remains inside the building to support the suspended president, Bogdan Święczkowski.
Why did President Nawrocki return from Senegal?
Nawrocki stated on X that the president “must be in Poland” during such a crisis, specifically citing the suspension of the court’s president as a violation of the constitutional order.
PM Tusk’s people who illegally attempted to take control over the Constitutional Tribunal then agreed to meet President Nawrocki at the court building – yet, upon President’s arrival, they attempted to block his entry.Tusks plan is to limit the democracy in Poland and demolish… pic.twitter.com/eTfL8tMNLE
What is the role of the Venice Commission in this dispute?
It remains unclear whether President Nawrocki will leave the tribunal building or if the government will move to forcibly remove him to install the new judicial leadership.
Two Polish ambassador already resigned after the attempt of coup on the Constitutional Tribunal conducted by D. Tusk in Poland. They don’t want to be a representative of such a government anymore.
More on Karol Nawrocki
Conflict over Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal escalates in Warsaw: judge suspends its leadership and president cuts short Africa tripA de facto power struggle has erupted within one of Poland’s most important state institutions in Warsaw today. For now, the outcome of this… pic.twitter.com/tvTEAzKFLh
Poland reportedly state of emergency. “Coup d’état”?A deepening institutional crisis at Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal (TK) in Warsaw, not a formal state of emergency.On the evening of 30 October 2026, Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska (one of several judges elected by the Sejm… pic.twitter.com/agYzGstlBl