Polish President Returns Home to Confront Standoff at Constitutional Court

Warsaw has been locked in a constitutional crisis for over a decade. The dispute reached a fever pitch on Friday night when riot police faced off with protesters outside the constitutional court.

The confrontation followed a decision by a group of government-appointed judges to suspend the court's president, Bogdan Święczkowski, and his deputy, Bartłomiej Sochański. The move was taken amid ongoing disagreements regarding the legal status of the bench.

Presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, a conservative ally of Donald Trump, turned his plane around while traveling to Senegal. He returned to Warsaw to intervene directly in the situation on Friday night.

Hundreds of demonstrators, including members of the opposition, gathered outside the building to support the suspended judges. Police established a heavy perimeter, and three people were arrested for attempting to force entry.

Shortly before 1 am on Saturday, Nawrocki appeared at the scene. Video footage shows him pushing through the security cordon and physically struggling with officials to enter the building. He remained inside the premises as of 4 am local time.

In a clip released online, Nawrocki stated that the government appointees were not judges of the constitutional court. A statement read on his behalf at 5 am described the situation as a violation of constitutional order. He asserted that the body had been seized by force and demanded that security forces leave the premises.

The right-wing Law and Justice party reacted swiftly to the suspension. Leader Jarosław Kaczyński condemned the action as an assault on the court. The party views the current government's moves as an attempt to dismantle the institution it helped build.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who has led the country since 2023, defended the government's actions. He stated that restoring the rule of law is a duty, even if the process is painful and decisive. Tusk argued that the court must begin working in accordance with the constitution regardless of public opinion.

Legal experts remain divided on the validity of the suspension. Marcin Matczak, a law professor, described the legal basis for removing Święczkowski as non-existent. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek said he has requested the removal of legal immunity for both suspended judges to allow for prosecution over obstruction of the court's work.

Foreign officials have weighed in on the developing situation. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski told reporters in Atlanta that the tribunal was politicized under the previous government. He said the current actions aim to allow duly elected judges to function. US Ambassador Tom Rose called the events very serious and warned that the large crowd makes the situation combustible.

The Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe, previously noted that the president's refusal to swear in five judges should not prevent them from taking their posts. Nawrocki had blocked the swearing-in of these judges earlier this year.

The next scheduled event is a press briefing by the government spokesperson on Saturday morning to outline the administration's immediate next steps regarding the court's procedural control.