EU urges Polish president to approve new Constitutional Tribunal judges

The European Commission has urged Polish President Karol Nawrocki to approve the appointment of eight new judges to the Constitutional Tribunal, as the institutional crisis in Warsaw deepens. The call follows consultations with centrist and nationalist party representatives seeking a resolution. A Commission spokesperson stated that Polish authorities must ensure the Tribunal functions per the constitution and EU law, noting the Sejm holds the constitutional competence for these nominations. The crisis escalated Friday when police intervened at the Tribunal, which the EU views as overly dependent on political power. The Tribunal has been a flashpoint since the PiS government appointed politically affiliated judges in 2015, unrecognized by the EU and Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The European Court ordered provisional measures in May requiring Poland to not obstruct judges nominated by the Sejm in March 2026.