Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has forcefully insisted that his administration will move forward with a contentious overhaul of the nation's constitutional court, declaring during a televised broadcast that "in certain matters, there can be no compromise."
Tusk's defiant prime-time address on Saturday night followed overnight street demonstrations in Warsaw that prompted the deployment of riot police to safeguard the tribunal's headquarters. The prime minister framed the restructuring as an indispensable measure to revive a court that has been incapacitated by political gridlock for more than ten years.
The tribunal served as the epicenter of prolonged rule-of-law conflicts between the European Union and the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party during its eight-year tenure. Since leading a broad coalition back into power in 2023, the centre-right leader has attempted to dismantle PiS-era judicial modifications, but his legislative momentum has repeatedly hit barriers erected by opposition-aligned presidency officials wielding veto powers.
Friction between the political factions intensified significantly earlier this year when President Karol Nawrocki declined to swear in five tribunal judges who had been approved by parliament. The confrontation escalated sharply on Friday after government-supported judges moved to take procedural authority over the court, placing the PiS-appointed chief judge and deputy chief judge under temporary suspension.
Defending the move, Tusk maintained that European court rulings previously established that "the court in the form imposed by PiS was not a genuine court." He likened the opposition's intense backlash to "a thief snatching an elderly woman’s handbag, running off, and when he is caught, he screams that he is subjected to violence."
In his address, Tusk also linked internal political resistance to foreign influences, stating, "Let’s call things for what they are: for years, there have been organisations and politicians in Poland who seek to destroy democracy and the rule of law. It is no coincidence they find support among pro-Russian forces globally." He specifically referenced comments from former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, who had echoed Polish opposition complaints by accusing Warsaw of carrying out "a constitutional coup" and "hounding the conservatives." Tusk remarked in response, "And everything is clear."
Tusk directed sharp criticism at President Nawrocki for participating in Friday night's protests and forcing his way into the constitutional court building to intervene directly. The prime minister asserted that "in a democratic state, no politician can enter a court to issue orders or intimidate judges – not even the president," adding that "We Poles have succeeded too well in building a strong state to surrender now." Tusk emphasized that maintaining security and ensuring proper working conditions for the court remained the government's responsibility, promising, "And I intend to fulfil that duty."
The standoff underscores the escalating political stakes as Poland prepares for next year's parliamentary election, where polls suggest a tight contest between Tusk's ruling coalition and the nationalist right. However, the legal standing of the government-backed maneuvers at the tribunal remains a point of intense dispute among legal analysts.
On Saturday, Poland's Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights characterized the legal rationale for suspending the court's leadership as "questionable," cautioning that the maneuver would "not contribute" to repairing the institution. Addressing the controversy, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski acknowledged that the scene outside the courthouse was "not elegant," but argued that "the alternative was to concede an unconstitutional transformation of Poland into a presidential republic." Meanwhile, Saturday cross-party discussions convened by President Nawrocki ended without any progress. Responding to the prime minister's remarks, Nawrocki's senior aide, Zbigniew Bogucki, denounced Tusk as "a pathological liar, who is setting Poland ablaze."
