Polish president holds crisis talks over court standoff

Polish President Karol Nawrocki held crisis talks Saturday with political leaders over the deepening dispute surrounding Poland's constitutional court, following the suspension of its chief judge, Bogdan Swieczkowski, which he called a threat to national security. Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist Civic Coalition boycotted the talks, while Tusk accused conservative nationalist opposition of seeking to "destroy democracy and rule of law." Swieczkowski, appointed by the PiS party, was suspended for allegedly blocking parliament from electing new judges. The court called the government's move a "coup d'etat," and PiS supporters protested outside. The European Commission urged Nawrocki to accept new judge nominations, while the US ambassador called for calm.