A judicial crisis has erupted in Poland following the sudden suspension of Constitutional Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski and Vice President Bartłomiej Sochański on October 30, 2026. Announced via the court’s official website around 6:00 PM local time by Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, the move was described as a necessary measure to restore the rule of law. Declaring herself interim head as the longest-serving judge, Korwin-Piotrowska’s announcement triggered immediate political turmoil, public protests, and diplomatic resignations.
Key Developments
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Presidential Response: Polish President Karol Nawrocki cut short an official diplomatic flight to Senegal mid-air, returning immediately to Warsaw. By early Saturday, accompanied by First President of the Supreme Court Zbigniew Kapiński, Nawrocki entered the Constitutional Tribunal building.
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Protests & Security Deployment: Riot police barricaded the Tribunal headquarters in Warsaw as protesters gathered outside to demonstrate against the suspensions, with some targeting Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The court’s official X account characterized the event as a “coup d’état.”
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Diplomatic Resignation: Jakub Kumoch, Poland’s Ambassador to China, resigned in protest of the developments. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski publicly acknowledged his resignation on X, writing, “You no longer represent the Republic.”
Political Context & Statements
The conflict marks the latest escalation in a long-standing battle between Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European coalition government and the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) opposition party:
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Prime Minister Donald Tusk: Defended the measures as part of his administration’s mandate to overhaul judicial reforms enacted during PiS’s tenure from 2015 to 2023. “Restoring the rule of law is our obligation… it requires decisive action,” Tusk stated.
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PiS Opposition: Former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro denounced the suspension on X, calling it a “blatant, criminal attack on the constitutional order” and urging public resistance.
