Poland's Tusk and Nawrocki clash deepens over Constitutional Tribunal crisis

Poland's political crisis intensified Saturday as President Karol Nawrocki held talks with party leaders to resolve a dispute over the Constitutional Tribunal, yielding no tangible results, while Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused opponents of seeking to "destroy democracy." Nawrocki met with nationalist, far-right, radical left, and two centrist coalition parties, but Tusk's Civic Coalition declined to attend and the Left was not invited. The crisis escalated Friday when riot police blocked access to the tribunal, and a newly appointed judge announced she was assuming interim leadership. The European Commission backed Tusk, urging Nawrocki to approve judicial nominations. The tribunal has been contested since the PiS party appointed politically affiliated judges in 2015, which the EU and Tusk do not recognize. With elections approaching in November 2027, analysts warn of escalating tensions.