Poland deploys riot police, as court chief’s ousting sparks crisis

Riot police were deployed because protesters gathered after the constitutional court’s chief justice, Bogdan Swieczkowski, was suspended. The dispute is part of a wider power struggle over who controls Poland’s court and how the country’s laws are interpreted.

Supporters of the opposition Law and Justice party protested outside, accusing Prime Minister Donald Tusk of attacking constitutional rights. Some demonstrators tried to push through barricades, so police guarded the entrance and arrested three people who tried entering the court complex. Tusk says the action is needed to restore the rule of law after years of PiS-led lawlessness.

The crisis intensified when the court’s social media account called the suspension a “coup d’état” and said Swieczkowski remained in office. President Karol Nawrocki turned his plane around during a Senegal trip and met the suspended justice. The immediate standoff leaves the court’s leadership unclear, while the government continues challenging judges appointed under PiS rule. The confrontation also keeps Poland’s long-running dispute with Brussels politically important.

A constitutional court checks whether laws and government actions obey a country’s constitution. It matters because it can protect citizens’ rights and stop leaders from exceeding their powers.

In Poland, the court often favored Polish legislation over European Union law, drawing criticism from Brussels. Its judges were appointed by the previous Law and Justice government, which ruled from 2015 to 2023. During the dispute, Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska suspended chief justice Bogdan Swieczkowski. She said the move would help restore the rule of law.

The standoff shows why constitutional courts matter. Control of a court can influence which government decisions survive legal scrutiny. On Friday, police arrested three people who tried entering the court. President Karol Nawrocki returned from Senegal and met Swieczkowski. The court’s social-media account called the suspension a “coup d’état,” showing deep political conflict.

It pits Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist, strongly pro-European government against Poland’s nationalist right. PiS, the opposition party, and President Karol Nawrocki are defending the court’s existing leadership and judges. Tusk’s side wants to remove judges appointed under PiS and restore what it calls the rule of law.

On Friday, police guarded the Constitutional Court after its chief, Bogdan Swieczkowski, was suspended. Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek sought to lift Swieczkowski’s legal immunity, saying the court had become private property. PiS supporters called the move a coup, protested, and three people were arrested trying to enter.

The conflict reflects a deeper struggle over who controls constitutional review and Poland’s relationship with European Union law. The court often favored Polish legislation over EU law, while Brussels said it was too close to PiS. Nawrocki has blocked Tusk’s court nominations, and he returned from Senegal after the suspension. The court’s website was inaccessible, while its account said Swieczkowski remained in office, leaving authority contested. Both sides claim they are protecting democracy and constitutional rights.

Law and Justice (PiS) governed Poland from 2015 to 2023, an eight-year period. The disputed Constitutional Court judges were appointed during that PiS-led government, creating the central institutional conflict described in the article.

After Donald Tusk won the 2023 election, his pro-European government tried to remove or replace those judges. It argues that the court became too close to PiS and often favored Polish legislation over European Union law. The appointments matter because they shape which political camp influences constitutional decisions.

The dispute remains active in the article’s account. Tusk says restoring the rule of law requires decisive action, while President Karol Nawrocki has blocked government nominations. On Friday, police guarded the court after its president, Bogdan Swieczkowski, was suspended. PiS’s eight years in power still influence Poland’s courts and its struggle over national authority and EU rules.

The EU dispute became a domestic power struggle because Poland’s constitutional court often placed national law above EU law. Brussels viewed the court as too close to the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) government, while Donald Tusk promised to repair relations after winning in 2023.

That history still shapes today’s crisis. PiS appointed the court’s judges between 2015 and 2023, and they frequently backed Polish legislation against European rules. Tusk’s government is trying to remove those judges. It says restoring an independent court requires this, but President Karol Nawrocki has blocked its nominations.

The conflict has therefore moved beyond EU policy into control over Poland’s constitutional rules. On Friday, police guarded the court after chief justice Bogdan Swieczkowski was suspended. Nawrocki returned from Senegal, while protesters claimed a “coup d’etat.” Until the dispute is settled, court decisions, EU trust, and the government’s rule-of-law program remain contested.

If the government and president keep rejecting each other’s authority, Poland could face conflicting court rulings and stalled appointments. That can weaken the court meant to protect citizens’ rights and make legal decisions harder to trust.

The current dispute shows how this could happen. Tusk’s government suspended chief justice Bogdan Swieczkowski. The court’s account said he remained in office and called the move a “coup d’état.” The president has also blocked Tusk’s court nominations, creating competing claims over lawful leadership.

The immediate effect could be paralysis. Judges may issue decisions that rivals refuse to recognize, leaving citizens and businesses unsure which rulings stand. The court often placed Polish law above European Union law, so the standoff could deepen conflicts with Brussels. Three people were arrested after trying to enter the court, showing that institutional conflict is already causing public unrest.

The rule of law means everyone, including presidents and ministers, must follow publicly known laws. Independent courts check whether government actions and legislation obey the constitution, protecting rights when political leaders disagree.

Poland’s dispute shows why this matters. Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government sought to remove judges appointed under the former Law and Justice government, while Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek requested immunity be lifted from court leaders. Judges need protection from political pressure so they can review government decisions fairly, even when rulings hurt the ruling party.

The conflict remains unresolved. President Karol Nawrocki has blocked nominations, the court’s account said its chief remained in office, and police arrested three people trying to enter. If courts become controlled by either side, constitutional limits weaken; if they remain independent, legal review can replace street confrontation.