Polish president calls crisis talks after court standoff

Polish President Karol Nawrocki initiated emergency crisis talks with party representatives on Saturday, following a tense standoff at the country's constitutional court. The president cut short his trip to Senegal and returned to Warsaw after a dramatic confrontation at the court, where police had surrounded the building following the suspension of its president, Bogdan Swieczkowski.

The crisis arose due to the government's attempt to seize control of the constitutional court, a move widely seen as a threat to internal security. Protesters, mostly from the opposition right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS), chanted and attempted to break through security barriers, with some accusing Prime Minister Donald Tusk's administration of attempting to seize control of the institution.

The court's official X account described the situation as a "coup d'état," and demonstrators accused Prime Minister Tusk of trampling on constitutional rights. US Ambassador Tom Rose warned all parties against taking actions that could provoke violence or further escalation, emphasizing that Poland is a friend and ally of the US concerned about its stability.

Tusk's government had been striving to remove the court's judges, appointed by the previous PiS government, who frequently ruled in favor of Polish legislation over EU law. The EU had accused the Polish court of being too aligned with nationalist political power. President Nawrocki, a right-wing independent, had blocked Tusk's nominations to the court.

President Nawrocki met with Swieczkowski and the court's first chief justice, Zbigniew Kapinski, before heading to the court. The president's decision to return to Warsaw mid-flight from Senegal was communicated to his chief of staff, Pawel Szefernaker. The suspension of Swieczkowski was announced by another judge, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, who claimed the move was necessary to restore the rule of law.

Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek announced his request for the lifting of Swieczkowski's legal immunity. Despite the confusion, Tusk justified the action, stating that restoring the rule of law is the country's duty.