Polish President Karol Nawrocki has cut short a trip to Senegal and is returning to Warsaw amid a dispute over the leadership of the Constitutional Tribunal, the nation's highest court. The Metropolitan Police Headquarters announced that officers are carrying out activities at the tribunal's premises to restore "public order".
This move is seen as a forced change of leadership, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk taking credit for the action and stating it was necessary to prevent lawlessness. The situation centers around the appointment of a new judge, Maciej Berek, who was elected by the left-controlled lower chamber of parliament, but whose qualifications have been questioned by the right-wing Law and Justice party.
The tribunal's website has been updated to reflect the appointment of a new interim president, Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, but the tribunal's social media account has issued a contradictory statement, claiming an "unlawful takeover" of the website and denying Korwin-Piotrowska's appointment.
Prime Minister Tusk has stated that "restoring the rule of law is our duty" and that the process may be "difficult" and "painful", but necessary after years of alleged lawlessness under the Law and Justice party. The situation has led to protests outside the tribunal's headquarters, with police officers blocking access to the building.
The president's return to Warsaw is seen as an attempt to address the situation and assert his authority. The dispute highlights the deepening political divisions in Poland, with the Law and Justice party and the left-wing opposition locked in a bitter struggle for control.