On the 3rd of November, the political crisis in Poland worsened even more – nationalist President Karol Nawrocki expressed sharp criticism of the pro-European Prime Minister Donald Tusk, writes Politico.In the course of a harsh exchange of opinions, Nawrocki accused Tusk of using the court to seize power, while the prime minister responded by stating that his actions are necessary to preserve the rule of law in the sixth largest economy of the European Union.Controversies about the justice system go back nearly ten years, and at their center is the politicized appointment of judges of higher court instances by the right-wing party Law and Justice (PiS), which was in power until 2023. Tusk’s government and the European Commission have insisted that the court should be reorganized in order to comply with EU norms, and on the 30th of October, the powers of the President of the Constitutional Tribunal and his deputy were suspended.The eight judges elected by Tusk’s parliament met on the 3rd of November and announced that their number was sufficient to resume work. Meanwhile, Nawrocki took the opportunity to attack the prime minister during the opening of the meeting of the State Security Council, which was also attended by Tusk and other political leaders. Tusk did not have a chance to respond while the opening was being filmed. Referring to the clashes at the Constitutional Tribunal on the 30th of October, Nawrocki said that all responsibility for any police officer near the court building, for all illegal actions, including the suspension of judges and the issuing of illegal orders, rests on the shoulders of one person – Tusk. The President added that he expects Tusk to curb his government’s ambitions and stop the illegal actions against the representatives of the Constitutional Court.Tusk has previously accused Nawrocki of aggravating the conflict and called for an end to standing against the judges elected by the parliament. He said the president has an opportunity, which he hopes he will take advantage of: to stop attacking legally elected judges and let them do their jobs.The Polish prime minister also accused Moscow of taking advantage of Poland’s political unrest and called on politicians not to become useful idiots while the dispute over the court escalated.The tussle over the Constitutional Tribunal widens Poland’s political divide ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for 2027, fueling the earlier unification of various right-wing nationalist parties against Tusk. Meanwhile, for the prime minister, the crisis can serve as a way to unify the voter base before the elections.Eight judges elected by the current parliament organized a meeting on the afternoon of the 3rd of November under the leadership of Anna Korwin-Piotrowska. Korvina-Piotrowska took over the leadership of the Constitutional Tribunal on the 30th of October. Neither Nawrocki nor the right-wing political forces recognize her authority. Also, Nawrocki refused to accept the oath of five elected judges. Instead, the judges handed over the oath of office to parliament, which Nawrocki believes is null and void.
In Poland, the political tension surrounding the Constitutional Tribunal is intensifying
