Constitutional Tribunal, USA News (Warsaw, Poland): Poland’s top court has accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk of launching a coup as riot police were deployed to and entered the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw amid clashes with protesters. The constitutional crisis was triggered by the removal of Tribunal President Bogdan Swieczkowski while President Karol Nawrocki, an ally of Poland’s previous Eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party government, was flying to Senegal.
President Nawrocki has cut short his international visit and is currently racing back to Poland amid the standoff between the pro-EU Government of Mr Tusk and those connected to its PiS predecessors. Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek has demanded that the court strip Constitutional Tribunal President Święczkowski, who previously served as PiS deputy justice minister, and Vice-President Bartłomiej Sochański of their immunity from prosecution so that criminal charges can be brought.
“All persons participating in these actions are committing the crime of a coup d’etat,” the Constitutional Tribunal said in a social media post. “A coup d’état is underway in Poland,” MEP Arkadiusz Mularczyk wrote on X, adding that forces acting on behalf of the current government unlawfully entered the tribunal.
Reactions and Political Fallout
Mr Tusk addressed the chaos on social media, insisting that restoring the rule of law is a duty. He stated that after years of PiS-led lawlessness, the difficult process requires decisive action. President Nawrocki was filmed attempting to push through security to enter the tribunal after cancelling his trip to Senegal. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the situation as very serious, pointing to arrests and a raid on the constitutional court.
Earlier this year, President Nawrocki refused to swear in three judges appointed by parliament. Tribunal President Swieczkowski had also refused to allow judges elected by the current parliamentary majority to assume their duties. The European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union had previously ruled that the PiS majority had improperly elected three judges and that the top court was no longer an independent and impartial tribunal. Mr Tusk’s government has since sought to undo PiS-government reforms using the EU’s ruling as a justification.
Diplomatic Resignations and International Statements
| Official | Role | Action Taken |
|---|---|---|
| Jakub Kumoch | Poland Ambassador to China | Resigned in light of domestic events |
| Paweł Soloch | Poland Ambassador to Romania | Resigned over tribunal takeover attempt |
Outside the courthouse, police reported that objects had been hurled at officers by protesters. The force stated it was deployed after receiving letters from the Prosecutor General and Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska warning of threats to judges and staff. PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski joined protesters outside and attempted to force his way into the building.
Two ambassadors resigned following the suspension of Tribunal President Święczkowski and the ensuing chaos. Jakub Kumoch, Poland’s ambassador to China, and Paweł Soloch, Poland’s ambassador to Romania, both announced their resignations on social media, citing the unlawful takeover attempt. Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski acknowledged Kumoch’s departure.
US Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose released a statement reacting to the developments, noting that thousands gathering outside the Tribunal make an already dangerous situation more combustible and emphasizing America’s concern for stability, security, and democratic future in the country.
