Poland's Constitutional Crisis Deepens as Tusk Government Clashes with President Nawrocki Over Judicial Control

Poland plunged into a fresh constitutional standoff on October 30-31, 2026, when judges aligned with Prime Minister Donald Tusk's pro-European coalition moved to suspend the president and vice-president of the Constitutional Tribunal, prompting accusations of a coup from the opposition and President Karol Nawrocki. The longest-serving judge, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, issued the suspensions of Bogdan Święczkowski and Bartłomiej Sochański, claiming authority to assume interim leadership amid a long-running dispute over the court's legitimacy.[1][2]

Nawrocki, a Law and Justice (PiS) ally elected in 2025, abruptly returned from a trip to Senegal, physically attempted to enter the court building amid scuffles, and accused the government of forcibly seizing a constitutional body. Riot police surrounded the premises as hundreds of protesters rallied, leading to detentions after objects were thrown at officers. Tusk defended the action in a televised address, stating the tribunal in its current form lacks independence and that his government would not back down from restoring rule of law.[3][4]

This escalation stems from PiS's 2015-2023 judicial appointments, which drew EU criticism for undermining independence, followed by Tusk's post-2023 efforts to reform the court—thwarted by Nawrocki's vetoes and refusals to swear in new judges. The tribunal's role in constitutional review makes control over its composition a flashpoint for Poland's EU relations and domestic power balance. Multiple outlets documented parallel claims of obstruction from both sides, highlighting broader European tensions over democratic norms and institutional capture.[5][6]