{
  "id": 17592506,
  "title": "Commission backs Tusk as he vows no compromise in court showdown",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/commission-backs-tusk-as-he-vows-no-compromise-in-court-showdown",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-01T11:52:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Politico EU",
    "slug": "politico-eu",
    "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/european-commission-backs-donald-tusk-over-poland-constitutional-court-judges/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The European Commission has reaffirmed Poland's parliament's authority to appoint new judges, backing Prime Minister Donald Tusk amid a growing dispute over the nation's Constitutional Tribunal. This conflict involves President Karol Nawrocki and the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) government, which introduced judicial changes between 2015 and 2023, facing criticism from European courts over concerns regarding judicial independence. Nawrocki, who was elected with PiS support in 2025, has been reluctant to swear in some Tribunal judges elected by the current parliamentary majority. Conversely, the PiS-linked court leadership has blocked these judges from performing their duties. The Commission expressed its close monitoring of the situation and supported Tusk's stance, stating that the Polish Constitutional Tribunal must function in line with the Polish constitution and EU case law. Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law Michael McGrath emphasized that this issue is crucial for all Polish citizens and falls under the responsibility of Poland's authorities. The Venice Commission had previously stated that appointing new judges is within the Sejm's jurisdiction. Tusk, speaking to the nation, vowed not to compromise on the issue, comparing demands for reconciliation to a thief retaining half of a stolen handbag's contents. He also directed his criticism towards Nawrocki, who abruptly returned to Warsaw after his plane landed in Senegal and stormed the Tribunal shortly after midnight on Saturday, confronting the judges challenging its leadership. Tusk asserted that in a law-abiding state, politicians cannot order or intimidate judges, even when they hold the presidency. The Commission, however, did not endorse Friday's suspension of Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski and his deputy Bartłomiej Sochański, a decision that sparked the latest conflict. Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, assuming control of the Tribunal, suspended Święczkowski and Sochański after they prevented judges elected by the Tusk-led parliamentary majority from working for months. Nawrocki denounced the suspension as an unlawful takeover and engaged in talks with parliamentary leaders, an effort opposed by Tusk's Civic Coalition and its government ally, the New Left. The Tribunal's judges are scheduled to convene for an assembly on Tuesday, potentially leading to another confrontation over the court's control.",
  "summary": "\"Appointing the new judges lies within the power of the Sejm,\" Commissioner Michael McGrath told POLITICO.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}