Seven judges of the Constitutional Tribunal, including its president Bogdan Święczkowski, described the events of October 30 at the Tribunal’s seat as „completely unlawful” in a statement issued on Saturday. They call on the constitutional organs of the state and political forces to take „immediate and effective action”.
In the statement, the judges wrote that in light of the events of October 30, 2026 at the Tribunal’s seat, which they „assess as completely unlawful”, they call for the situation surrounding the constitutional court to be resolved „while respecting the principles of a democratic state governed by the rule of law”. The quote is from WP. The document was signed by Bogdan Święczkowski, Bartłomiej Sochański, Stanisław Piotrowicz, Jakub Stelina, Wojciech Sych, Rafał Wojciechowski and Jarosław Wyrembak.
As reported by „Rzeczpospolita”, the statement was published on social media by Supreme Court judge Kamil Zaradkiewicz. Among the signatories are the Tribunal’s president and his deputy, who are subject to the order suspending their duties.
What happened on Friday
On Friday, the Tribunal’s website published a notice ordering a suspension of duties for President Święczkowski and Deputy President Sochański. Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska was to take over the management of the Tribunal’s work, citing her longest judicial tenure. According to „Rzeczpospolita”, police appeared outside the building, and gathered demonstrators tried to enter the Tribunal’s grounds.
Korwin-Piotrowska revoked earlier authorisations, recommended that judges work outside the Tribunal’s seat, and suspended employees’ duties while retaining their pay. She convened a General Assembly for November 3, with the Tribunal’s 2027 budget draft on the agenda. Święczkowski issued his own order: he assigned employees days off from November 3 to 6 and challenged Korwin-Piotrowska’s decisions.
Reactions from authorities and politicians
President Karol Nawrocki cut short his trip to Senegal and appeared outside the Tribunal during the night. In a statement published on X, he wrote about a „forcible seizure of a constitutional state organ”. According to him, Deputy President Sochański entered the building because of his actions.
Nawrocki convened consultations with representatives of parliamentary forces for Saturday. According to „Rzeczpospolita”, talks at the Presidential Palace began at 1 p.m. Attendees included Szymon Hołownia, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Jarosław Kaczyński. Politicians from Rozwój Plus and Konfederacja also announced they would attend. The Left refused to take part, holding the president responsible for the situation.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk will deliver an address at 8 p.m. on Saturday, as the Chancellery of the Prime Minister announced on X. According to Gazeta Prawna, the head of government earlier wrote that restoring the rule of law is the duty of those in power. As of publication, the government has not taken a position on the seven judges’ statement itself.
Primate of Poland Archbishop Wojciech Polak and the Presidium of the Polish Episcopal Conference called for de-escalation.
Dispute over who leads the Tribunal
Legal assessments conflict. „Rzeczpospolita” cites a constitutional law expert who argues that a suspension of the Tribunal president’s duties cannot be ordered, and that Korwin-Piotrowska’s orders have no legal effect. The opposing side points out that the judge with the longest tenure replaces the president under Article 12(4) in conjunction with Article 11(2) of the Act on the Organisation and Mode of Proceedings before the Constitutional Tribunal. Supporters of her decisions argue this way in public statements.
What it means
The Tribunal currently has two competing decision-making centres and contradictory orders. Under both orders, Tribunal employees are not to work from November 3 to 6, but only Korwin-Piotrowska convened a General Assembly for November 3 with the 2027 budget. It is unclear whether it will take place and whether the required quorum will be met. The next decisions may come after the prime minister’s 8 p.m. address and after the conclusion of the consultations at the president’s office.
