The political crisis in Poland intensified on Tuesday with a sharp attack from President Karol Nawrocki on Prime Minister Donald Tusk. This attack was sparked by the controversy over the politicization of judges in the country's Constitutional Tribunal.
Mutual Accusations
Nawrocki made harsh statements accusing Tusk of attempting to illegally seize power through disputes within the Tribunal. In response, Tusk defended his actions as efforts to uphold the rule of law in the sixth-largest economy of the European Union.
The judicial disputes, which have lasted over a decade, trace back to the political appointments of judges in the Constitutional Tribunal by the previous government of the Law and Justice Party (PiS), which was in power until 2023. Tusk's government and the European Commission emphasized that the Tribunal needs to be reformed to align with EU standards regarding impartiality.
Continued Tensions
On Tuesday, eight judges elected by the current majority, led by Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, held a meeting and announced that they had enough members to resume the Tribunal's suspended work. In response, Nawrocki attacked the Prime Minister during a televised meeting of the National Security Council, which Tusk and other political leaders attended.
Nawrocki said: "Full responsibility for any police officer outside the Tribunal, for all illegal actions, including the suspension of judges and issuing illegal orders, belongs to one person who is present in this room — Prime Minister Donald Tusk." He also urged Tusk to end his government's desires and to stop the illegal actions of his representatives in the Constitutional Tribunal.
Tusk also responded to Nawrocki, accusing him of escalating the conflict and calling for an end to the opposition against the judges elected by Parliament. He also warned Moscow against exploiting Poland's political turmoil and urged politicians not to become "useful idiots."
At the end of the National Security Council meeting, Tusk reiterated his main points regarding the Tribunal but, in a more constructive tone, asked Nawrocki to hold a private meeting to reduce tensions. He also expressed satisfaction that "the situation is stabilizing" and referred to the resumption of the Tribunal's work.
Disputes regarding the Constitutional Tribunal have deepened Poland's political divides ahead of the 2027 parliamentary elections and have brought nationalist right-wing groups closer together against Tusk. This crisis also presents an opportunity for Tusk to strengthen his voter base ahead of the elections.
