Nawrocki calls for urgent consultations with representatives of parliamentary forces due to the seizure of the Constitutional Tribunal in Poland

Polish President Karol Nawrocki is calling for urgent consultations with representatives of parliamentary forces due to disputes with judges and protests near the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw.

This is stated on the website of the Polish president.

Nawrocki stated that during the night, the constitutional order of Poland was violated and a state body was forcibly seized.

On the evening of October 30, a message appeared on the Constitutional Tribunalʼs website that Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska had removed the head of the Constitutional Tribunal and taken over the management of the institution. She explained this by saying that the previous management had blocked the work of the tribunal, in particular by not allowing new judges to work.

Soon after, the tribunalʼs official social media account X reported the illegal seizure of the institutionʼs website and called the actions of those involved a coup dʼétat. The courtʼs previous leadership disagreed with the decision to remove it.

Supporters of right-wing forces, including representatives of the opposition Law and Justice party, gathered outside the tribunal building. Some protesters tried to break through the fence, throwing bottles and chairs at police officers. Law enforcement officers detained three people and increased security in the area. The police did not enter the building.

Meanwhile, Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek filed five applications for the lifting of judicial immunity — four related to the chairman of the tribunal Bohdan Święczkowski and another to the institutionʼs vice president Bartholomew Sochanski.

Law and Justice leader Jarosław Kaczyński accused the government of attacking the Constitutional Tribunal. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his government must restore the rule of law after years of violations under the previous government.

Nawrocki, who was on a visit to Senegal, turned the plane around and returned to Poland. At night, he arrived at the tribunal building and went inside, telling judges Anna Korwin-Piotrowski, Krystian Markiewicz, and Maciej Berek that they were not judges of the Constitutional Tribunal.

Judge Maciej Berek posted a video showing Nawrocki trying to get past judges standing in front of the door. He said the president physically pushed Korwin-Piotrowski and other judges.

This morning, Nawrocki and his chief of staff left the tribunal building. The judges remained inside to make further decisions.

• The conflict over the tribunal is part of a long-running standoff between Tuskʼs government and the conservative Law and Justice party, which ruled Poland from 2015 to 2023. After winning the 2023 election, Tuskʼs coalition promised to reverse changes to the judicial system introduced by the previous government.
• However, President Nawrocki, who is close to Law and Justice, is blocking some of these steps. In particular, he refused to swear in five judges of the Constitutional Tribunal, who were elected by parliament. Swienczkowski, appointed during the previous government, did not allow them to work. Anna Korwin-Piotrowska was among these judges.

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