Poland's Constitutional Tribunal crisis: A decade-long legitimacy dispute turns physical

Poland's decade-long Constitutional Tribunal crisis escalated into physical confrontation on Friday, with rival factions disputing each other's legitimacy outside the tribunal's headquarters. The standoff follows President Karol Nawrocki's refusal to accept oaths of several judges elected by parliament in 2026. The crisis began in 2015 when PO and PiS clashed over appointing five judges, leading to disputed "stand-in judges" and PiS-era rule changes that critics said undermined judicial independence. Donald Tusk's coalition, in power since 2023, has sought to reverse those reforms, but President Duda and tribunal leadership have blocked efforts. On 30 October, judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska suspended tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski and took over management, prompting scuffles as seven judges entered the building with State Protection Service officers. Nawrocki called it an attempted takeover, while Święczkowski vowed to regain control. The dispute raises fundamental questions about separation of powers, with uncertainty spreading to laws affecting citizens, businesses and public services.