Poland's constitutional crisis spills into the streets as president and government clash over tribunal control

Poland's constitutional crisis escalated on October 31, 2026, as President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government clashed over control of the Constitutional Tribunal, with both sides claiming to defend the rule of law. The confrontation drew protesters to the court's gates in Warsaw. The crisis began when judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska announced the suspension of Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski and Vice-President Bartłomiej Sochański for one month. Seven judges elected by parliament entered the building with State Protection Service officers, while Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek requested lifting the two officials' immunity, potentially opening criminal proceedings. The dispute stems from a 2015 conflict over judicial appointments under the PiS government, with Tusk's administration seeking to restore judicial independence. The Venice Commission issued a non-binding opinion that the president's oath-taking role doesn't grant veto power over parliamentary judicial selections, though legal experts have also criticized the suspension's procedural basis.