{
  "id": 18002351,
  "title": "Disputed Polish constitutional court holds first meeting after takeover by government-backed judges",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/disputed-polish-constitutional-court-holds-first-meeting-after",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-03T18:33:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Notes from Poland",
    "slug": "notes-from-poland",
    "url": "https://notesfrompoland.com/2026/11/03/disputed-polish-constitutional-court-holds-first-meeting-after-takeover-by-government-backed-judges/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Disputed Polish Constitutional Court Holds First Meeting After Government Takeover\n\nA group of eight government-backed judges took control of Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal (TK) last week, holding a meeting where they made key decisions. These decisions include initiating disciplinary proceedings against the court’s chief justice, Bogdan Święczkowski, who is being accused of failing to fulfill his duties. However, the situation is filled with controversy and uncertainty. Święczkowski and the opposition-aligned president, Karol Nawrocki, do not recognize the judges claiming control of the court, describing their actions as a \"coup d'état.\"\n\nThe validity of today's general assembly, which included only eight of the TK's fifteen judges, is also questioned. The meeting was called by Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, who declared Święczkowski and deputy chief justice, Bartłomiej Sochański, suspended for not fulfilling their duties. She claimed to be taking over control as the longest-serving judge on the court. However, Kawrocki himself was not present, and Nawrocki entered the court, clashing verbally and physically with Korwin-Piotrowska.\n\nFor a general assembly to be valid, two-thirds of the court's judges need to be present. According to the TK's rules, at least ten judges should attend, given that the tribunal has 15 positions. However, only eight judges attended today's meeting. The TK's seven other judges, appointed under the former Law and Justice (PiS) government, did not attend. Nawrocki has refused to swear in five of them, creating a dispute over their legal status.\n\nOnce the quorum was established, the eight present judges decided on several key issues. They adopted a draft budget for the TK for 2027, which Święczkowski had been unable to achieve, used as an argument for his removal. They also drew lots to decide which judges would preside over disciplinary panels for Święczkowski and Sochański. However, some legal experts have raised doubts about whether a legal quorum was established at the meeting, with prominent constitutional scholar Ryszard Piotrowski calling the meeting \"illegal.\"",
  "summary": "The judges moved forward with disciplinary proceedings against the court's chief justice, Bogdan Święczkowski.",
  "key_points": [
    "Government-backed judges took control of Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal",
    "Disciplinary proceedings initiated against court’s chief justice",
    "Validity of meeting questioned due to insufficient judge attendance"
  ],
  "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."
}