Overview
- The dispute escalated on Friday when judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska announced a one-month suspension of Tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski, a move the court’s official account rejected as a "coup d'etat".
- Dozens of riot police guarded the tribunal’s Aleja Szucha headquarters after requests from officials, and officers said three people were arrested after trying to enter the complex.
- President Karol Nawrocki cut short an official trip to Senegal and returned to Warsaw to meet tribunal figures and supporters who had gathered outside the court.
- Justice Minister and attorney general Waldemar Zurek has asked parliament to lift the legal immunity of Święczkowski and his deputy to permit criminal proceedings over blocking newly selected judges.
- The clash reflects a longer fight over PiS-era changes to the tribunal, risks further domestic unrest and diplomatic fallout, and complicates Poland’s efforts to repair ties with EU institutions.