Poland's Constitutional Tribunal chief suspended; President Nawrocki returns and enters the court

Bogdan Święczkowski, president of Poland's Constitutional Tribunal, was suspended on Friday, 30 October 2026. His deputy was also suspended. The Guardian names him as Bartłomiej Sochański. Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska took over the court's leadership. She is one of the judges President Karol Nawrocki refused to swear in.

Riot police were deployed to the tribunal on Friday night, and police entered its premises. Protesters described as supporters of the Law and Justice party (PiS) gathered outside to oppose the suspension. Some chanted "Tusk traitor". Police said three people were detained. The court's official X account called the events a "coup d'etat", according to DW.

Nawrocki turned back from a planned trip to Senegal and returned to Warsaw. Early on Saturday, he passed through the police cordon and entered the building.

Święczkowski was appointed under the PiS government, which governed from 2015 to 2023. He had blocked judges elected by the current parliament from taking up their duties or entering the building.

Reported details

According to DW, the suspension is for one month and was announced on the court's website. DW reported that Warsaw police said they were responding to a judge who had warned of possible threats to judges and staff. Al Jazeera reported that police said they detained three people after some in the crowd launched "dangerous projectiles". The Guardian reported that hundreds gathered, including opposition MPs. It also reported that a video showed Nawrocki tussling with security and judges as he forced his way in, and that he remained inside at 4am local time.

What is disputed

The Guardian says judges elected by the current majority carried out the suspension. DW and Al Jazeera say the court announced it. Le Monde attributes it to the government. Reports also differ on how many judges Nawrocki refused to swear in: five, according to The Guardian and DW, or three of six, according to Al Jazeera.

What each side says

Prime Minister Donald Tusk backed the move on X: "Restoring the rule of law is our duty," DW quoted him as writing. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek said he had requested that the immunity of both judges be lifted. Nawrocki called for security forces to leave. A statement read on his behalf, quoted by The Guardian, said "a constitutional body was seized by force". Former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro wrote on X: "This is a blatant, criminal attack on the constitutional order," according to Al Jazeera. US Ambassador Tom Rose wrote on X that "Both sides offer sharply different accounts of what happened and why," The Guardian reported.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not identify the legal provision used for the suspension. They include no response from Święczkowski or Sochański.

Analysis

The events sharpen a long-running dispute over who legitimately sits on Poland's Constitutional Tribunal. The government and its supporters present the suspension as a step to restore a functioning court. The president, PiS and the court's previous leadership describe it as an unlawful seizure. The Guardian reports that legal experts are divided. Possible paths include negotiation, rulings by other judicial bodies, or further standoffs over control of the building. Much may depend on the legal basis cited for the suspension and on how both sides respond. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe that legal basis.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.