Protesters gather at Poland's Top court

Riot police were sent to the scene in Poland to maintain order at the Constitutional Court, where a standoff had erupted between the government and the court’s top judges. This conflict arose between Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his predecessors from the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party. In response to the Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek’s request for the court’s President and Vice-President to relinquish their immunity from prosecution, Tusk vowed to reduce the influence of politics in the judiciary.

President Karol Nawrocki, who supports PiS, arrived at the court to address the situation, having cancelled a trip to Senegal due to the tensions in Warsaw. The Constitutional Court had stated that the two judges in question were still the designated senior justices. Tusk emphasized the need to restore the rule of law, asserting that the actions of the PiS were unlawful.

This dispute stems from the PiS-led government’s strategy of appointing a majority of judges to gain control of the court, which can rule on the constitutionality of laws. European courts had previously declared that the PiS majority improperly appointed three judges, stating that Poland’s Constitutional Court was no longer impartial.

The Polish government continued to challenge these decisions, partly due to presidential vetoes by Nawrocki and his predecessor Duda. Nawrocki also vetoed the swearing-in of five judges elected by parliament in March due to procedural issues. The Venice Commission, part of the Council of Europe, advised Nawrocki to reinstate the judges to enable them to serve on the court.

Despite some criticism from Tusk’s supporters, his actions aim to improve his standing among voters for the upcoming parliamentary elections. However, the use of armed police to prevent demonstrators from entering the court has sparked significant backlash regarding the rule of law.