Polish president accuses government of forced takeover of court
President Nawrocki accuses the government of a forced takeover; Prime Minister Tusk says he wants to restore judicial independence.
Follow-up to: Polish court crisis escalates after government intervention Sunday, 1 November 2026, 15:45
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Poland’s president and government are at odds over the Constitutional Court. President Karol Nawrocki accuses the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk of a forced takeover of the court, while Tusk says he wants to restore judicial independence.
The crisis centres on the suspension of the president of the Constitutional Court. Police guarded the building in Warsaw on Friday and Saturday, where tens to hundreds of demonstrators gathered. The immediate cause was the pro-European government’s attempt to replace the court’s leadership.
Nawrocki, who is backed by the nationalist opposition, calls the intervention unlawful. An aide read out a statement outside the court in which the president described the move as a forced takeover of a constitutional institution. The government says instead that the court has been politically influenced in recent years by the Law and Justice party, which governed until 2023.
Prime Minister Tusk defended the suspension on Saturday and said his government would continue with plans to restore the independence of the judiciary. Opponents say the government is using procedures that are themselves legally contentious. As a result, rival political camps are increasingly refusing to recognise each other’s appointments and rulings.
The European Union is following the conflict closely. Since the change of government in 2023, Poland has been trying to reduce tensions with Brussels over the rule of law, but the new confrontation shows that many institutional disputes remain unresolved. The disagreement could affect the court’s functioning and the predictability of Polish legislation.
The issue is relevant to the Netherlands because Poland is an important EU and NATO partner. A prolonged deadlock at the Constitutional Court could complicate European decision-making and undermine confidence in Polish institutions. For now, it is unclear whether the parties will reach a legal solution or whether the power struggle will become more polarised.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The president of the Constitutional Court has been suspended.
- President Nawrocki and Prime Minister Tusk have issued opposing legal statements.
- There were protests and police protection at the court.
Left
Arguments The judiciary must be freed from political appointments made during the previous government’s term.
Values Independent institutions, the rule of law and checks on government power.
Consequences According to this approach, failing to intervene could perpetuate old political influence and bring Poland into conflict with the EU once again.
Centre
Arguments Any reform must proceed through verifiable procedures and judicial review, even if previous appointments were problematic.
Values Institutional continuity, legal certainty and administrative stability.
Consequences A compromise could break the deadlock, but would require concessions from both camps.
Right
Arguments The government is using the restoration of the rule of law to justify a power grab against an institution that is not favourably disposed towards it.
Values Democratic election results, national sovereignty and restrained government.
Consequences According to this approach, the suspension could lead to further politicisation of judges and prolonged constitutional instability.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core facts were confirmed by AP and Reuters and date from 30 and 31 October 2026. Legal characterisations have been presented as the positions of the parties involved.
- confirmed Polish police guarded the Constitutional Court during protests. — Reported by AP. source
- confirmed President Nawrocki accused the government of a forced takeover. — Reported by Reuters. source
- confirmed Tusk defended the suspension and said he wanted to restore judicial independence. — Reported by AP. source
Editor's note
The suspension, protests and conflicting statements were reported by AP and Reuters. The legal validity of the intervention is at the heart of the dispute and has not been established.Sources
The story so far
- Saturday, 31 October 2026, 14:57 Protests and arrests deepen Polish court crisis
- Sunday, 1 November 2026, 14:46 EU backs Polish parliament in court crisis
- Sunday, 1 November 2026, 15:45 Polish court crisis escalates after government intervention
- Monday, 2 November 2026, 19:48 Polish president accuses government of forced takeover of court (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „polen rechtsstaat”
- NOS — „polen rechtsstaat”
- Het Parool — „polen rechtsstaat”