Polish president holds crisis talks in court standoff

Poland's President Karol Nawrocki, a right-wing independent, convened emergency talks with political leaders on Saturday amid a tense standoff at the constitutional court. The crisis erupted after the president blocked nominations for new judges, sparking a constitutional dispute over judicial independence in the EU nation. The government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk has been pushing to remove the court's judges, claiming they lack political neutrality, but faces strong resistance from the nationalist PiS party, which previously appointed them.

Opposition supporters of the Law and Justice party (PiS) rallied outside the court, demanding Nawrocki's resignation. Riot police were present as protesters chanted slogans like "Tusk traitor," trying to break through security barriers. Three individuals were arrested during the protest. Nawrocki, who cut short a trip to Senegal, returned to Warsaw to address the growing tensions and summoned party leaders for talks at the presidential palace.

Representatives from nationalist, far-right, and some ruling coalition parties attended the meetings, while Tusk's Civic Coalition party declined to participate, stating they considered Nawrocki a party to the dispute and had not been invited. The Left, a coalition member, also rejected the invitation, claiming they would not attend due to their stance on Nawrocki's involvement in the conflict.

The European Commission urged Nawrocki to approve the newly nominated judges to ensure the court operates in accordance with the constitution and EU law. US Ambassador to Poland, Tom Rose, cautioned all parties against actions that could provoke violence or escalate the situation further.