How Poland ended up in a constitutional crisis with police at its highest court.
1. What started this?
Prime Minister Donald Tusk wants to reverse the judicial changes introduced under the previous PiS government, which he says compromised the independence of Poland’s courts.
A December 2025 EU court ruling strengthened his case, finding serious violations of judicial independence at the Constitutional Tribunal.
2. Why is President Nawrocki fighting back?
Nawrocki and PiS argue that Tusk is going beyond judicial reform and attempting to bring the courts under his own government's control.
The two sides are also fighting over judicial appointments, leaving the Constitutional Tribunal effectively paralysed.
3. What happened on Friday?
Tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski was reportedly suspended, triggering protests and a police deployment at the court in Warsaw.
Nawrocki immediately abandoned his trip to Senegal and headed back to Poland.
Święczkowski's camp rejected the suspension as illegal, while PiS politicians accused the government of attempting a coup.
4. Why is this such a serious confrontation?
Poland now has two competing claims to constitutional legitimacy.
Tusk argues he is restoring judicial independence after years of political interference.
Nawrocki and PiS insist the government is violating the very constitutional order it claims to defend.
The central problem: Both sides claim to be protecting Poland's Constitution, while fundamentally disagreeing over who has the legal authority to act.
