EXCLUSIVE: Police, Judges And ‘Coup’ Allegations: Poland’s Government Erupts Into Chaos

A dispute over control of Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal has escalated into a constitutional crisis, with police deployed around the court and rival political camps accusing each other of breaking the law. The confrontation matters because the Tribunal reviews whether laws and government actions comply with Poland’s constitution, and the dispute has raised allegations of an attempted coup.

The immediate trigger was newly appointed judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska’s announcement that she was suspending Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski and Vice President Bartłomiej Sochański. The conflict centres on whether judges elected by parliament can take office without being sworn in by President Karol Nawrocki; Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government says they were lawfully elected, while critics say the police deployment and leadership change are unlawful. Police say officers stayed outside the building in response to concerns about safety and public order; three demonstrators were arrested after crossing a barrier, according to the article.