Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, and President Carol Nawrocki have exacerbated their positions in the clash of leadership of the Constitutional Court, deepening the political and institutional crisis in the country.
The clash, which has its roots since 2015, relates to the appointment of judges and control of the institution.
The pro-European government and president backed by the nationalist opposition do not recognise the proposed appointments by the other side.
The crisis escalated Friday, when the judge with the longest experience in court, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, suspended for a month her chairman, Bogdan ãowi Stigczkowski, and his deputy, Bartłomiej Sochański, taking over the institution.
On Saturday, Tusk defended the move, claiming that the government had tried several times to compromise with the president, but without success.
We proposed solutions and laws for all political forces and both presidents, with the aim of restoring rule of law. But everything was in vain, Tusk declared in a TV talk.
He added that judges have been legally elected and that no one, including the president, has the right to prevent the exercise of office.
On the other hand, Nawrock described developments as the forced takeover of a constitutional institution and violation of public order.
The president even interrupted his trip to Senegal and returned to Poland, where he went to the Constitutional Court.
The images showed him passing through the judges standing at the entrance of the building.
The conflict also relates to the president’s refusal to pledge five judges elected by the Polish parliament.
The Venice Commission has estimated that the president’s role in this procedure is ceremonial and that the oath must be carried out without delay.
The clash has raised serious questions about the functioning of institutions and rule of law in Poland, while analysts warn that the crisis could continue in the coming years.