European Democratic Shield called to address Polish court crisis

Former Polish Prime Minister and European Parliament member Beata Szydło has called for an emergency meeting of the "European Democratic Shield" commission to discuss the political crisis in Poland surrounding the Constitutional Court. Szydło filed a formal request for the extraordinary session, arguing that Prime Minister Donald Tusk's cabinet actions undermine democratic foundations. She expressed concerns about the transparency of parliamentary elections scheduled for autumn next year, suggesting Tusk's steps could prevent genuinely democratic voting. The crisis escalated after attempts to remove court president Bogdan Święczkowski and his deputy. The court's website was reportedly hacked, protesters surrounded the building, and President Karol Nawrocki cut short a foreign visit. Opposition leader Jarosław Kaczyński called the events a state coup.