Polish President Cuts Senegal Trip Short Amid Judicial Power Struggle

Polish President Karol Nawrocki abruptly ended his trip to Senegal on Friday, returning to Poland amid an intensifying battle over judicial control. The decision came after Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, the longest-serving judge on the Constitutional Tribunal, suspended Bogdan Swieczkowski, the tribunal's president and an appointee of the previous administration.

Nawrocki announced his return via X, stating, "At a moment like this, the President must be in Poland. I am cutting short my flight to Senegal. I am returning." His move underscores the deep divisions within Poland's political landscape regarding the judiciary.

Escalation of Judicial Conflict

The Constitutional Tribunal's recent actions have fueled protests, with hundreds gathering outside the court late Friday. Right-wing politicians addressed the demonstrators, accusing Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government of orchestrating a coup against the tribunal. The situation reflects a protracted dispute over the court's authority, which has, at times, paralyzed the institution.

This ongoing conflict pits the pro-European government led by Tusk against President Nawrocki, who is an ally of the former nationalist Law and Justice Party. The government has pledged to restore the rule of law, which the European Union previously accused the Law and Justice Party of undermining.

Tusk, also writing on X, defended his government's actions, calling the process "difficult, at times even painful, and requires decisive action. There is no other way." His administration aims to reform the court, a process that has been met with resistance from President Nawrocki since his election in 2025.

The dispute's roots trace back to 2015 when the Law and Justice party sought to appoint judges to seats already occupied by appointees of the prior government. Critics argue that this maneuver compromised the court's independence and impartiality.

Following Tusk's coalition taking office in 2023, efforts to reform the court have been contentious. Earlier this year, Nawrocki refused to swear in three judges nominated by the current parliament. Conversely, Swieczkowski, the recently suspended tribunal president, had refused to seat judges elected by the parliamentary majority. Last month, the parliament appointed Maciej Berek, an ally of Tusk, to the tribunal, a move critics viewed as undermining the government's stated goals of restoring checks and balances.