The Polish Sejm has the right to appoint Constitutional Tribunal judges, the European Commission says

The European Commission stated that the Polish parliament has the right to appoint judges to the Constitutional Tribunal. The statement came after a confrontation outside the court building involving President Karol Nawrocki. This is reported by Euronews, according to UNN.

Details

The Polish authorities must ensure that the Constitutional Tribunal can function in accordance with the Polish Constitution and the relevant case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. The appointment of eight new members of the Constitutional Tribunal falls within the constitutional powers of the Sejm, the Polish parliament

The Commission also recalled the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights of May 5, 2026. It requires the Polish authorities not to obstruct the assumption of office and performance of duties by the judges appointed by the Sejm in March this year. At the same time, according to the publication, Prime Minister Donald Tusk called Friday’s events “scandalous incidents” in a televised address. He said that restoring calm did not mean accepting lawlessness or violence, and promised to work to ensure an independent judiciary.

The crisis escalated on Friday evening when President Karol Nawrocki attempted to enter the Tribunal building amid a deadlock over the appointment of new judges. Police surrounded the building as the confrontation was broadcast live on television, underscoring the growing standoff between the president and the government over the composition of the country’s highest court. Tusk’s government says it is advancing long-needed reforms to restore the rule of law after years of what it calls interference in the judiciary by the Law and Justice party (PiS). The opposition accuses Tusk’s government of attempting a coup

The actions of the Polish government were also criticized by the co-chairs of the European Conservatives and Reformists group. Nicola Procaccini called them a violation of the rule of law.

The actions of Tusk’s government are a blatant and gross violation of the rule of law. We condemn this attack on the independence of the judiciary and Poland’s constitutional guarantees. No government is above the law

According to the publication, the dispute over the legitimacy of the Constitutional Tribunal has continued since 2015. It began because of disagreements between the authorities at the time and the opposition Law and Justice party over the appointment of five judges, and later grew into a broader conflict over the independence of the judiciary and the powers of the court.

We remind you

Polish President Karol Nawrocki cut short his visit to Senegal because of the conflict surrounding the Constitutional Tribunal. A verbal altercation took place inside the building.