Poland's president turns back from Senegal trip as court chief's ousting sparks crisis

Riot police were deployed to Poland's Constitutional Tribunal on Friday as hundreds of demonstrators gathered to protest against the suspension of the top court's president by the current pro-European government.

Earlier, the Constitutional Tribunal said its longest-serving judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska had suspended Bogdan ​Swieczkowski, an appointee of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's far-right predecessor, and was now in ​charge of the court.

President Karol ​Nawrocki turned back to Poland while en route to Senegal as the row over the suspension of his ‌far-right ally intensified, escalating a battle with Mr Tusk's government over control of the judiciary.

"At a moment like this, the President must be in Poland," Mr Nawrocki said on X.

Police said they detained three people in Warsaw after some protesters breached the tribunal's fence and others threw objects at officers.

Under a heavy police presence, right-wing politicians addressed the crowd, accusing Mr Tusk's government of staging a coup against the court.

Mr Tusk said in a post on X that his government was ​seeking to restore the rule of law, which the European Union had accused his predecessors - the Law and Justice ‌Party (PiS) - ⁠of subverting.

"This process is difficult, at times even painful, and requires decisive action. There is no other way," he said.

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A long-running political dispute over the Constitutional Tribunal has destabilised the institution, with the pro-European government and the nationalist president ​refusing to recognise appointees put forward by the other side.

Politicians from PiS, currently the largest opposition force, criticised Mr Swieczkowski's suspension, with former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro calling it a "blatant, criminal attack on the constitutional order".

"That is why I call for resistance that will be loud, firm, solidary and fearless," he wrote on X.

Pawel Soloch, ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Romania, announced his resignation after the suspension.

He said in a post on X: "In connection with the fact of an attempt to unlawfully take over the Constitutional Tribunal, I see no possibility of continuing to serve as the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Romania."

Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Poland, Tom Rose, said: "The events unfolding tonight at Poland's Constitutional Tribunal are very serious indeed. We appear to be witnessing an unprecedented confrontation over the government's use of state power and the independence and authority of a constitutional institution."

He added: "America is on Poland's side. It is not our place to judge or interfere in its internal affairs. Our concern is for the stability, security, and democratic future of a country we are proud to call our friend and ally."

Mr Swieczkowski became president of the Constitutional Tribunal under PiS, which came to power in 2015 and brought the courts under its judicial control.

Mr Tusk, whose centre-left government took over from the party in December 2023, has accused Mr Swieczkowski of blocking judges elected by the parliamentary majority from taking up their posts at the tribunal.

Discussing the future of the tribunal at Campus Polska in August, Mr Tusk said his government had a plan to ensure the institution would again be staffed with lawfully appointed judges, while acknowledging his methods may not please everyone.

In 2015, the nationalist PiS sought to appoint judges to seats already filled by the previous government.

Its nominees gained a majority on the Constitutional Tribunal, ​while critics at home and abroad ​said the court ⁠no longer met the standards of an independent and impartial tribunal established by law.

After Mr Tusk's coalition took office in 2023, it vowed to restore the rule ​of law and reform the court, but PiS ally Mr Nawrocki ​has acted ⁠to crush those efforts since his election as president in 2025.

Earlier this year, Mr Nawrocki refused to swear in three of six judges nominated by parliament, while Mr Swieczkowski, a former deputy justice minister in the PiS ​administration, declined to seat judges elected by the current parliamentary majority.

Last month, the parliament appointed Mr Tusk's ally Maciej Berek as a judge to the tribunal, which critics said undermined the government's stated aim of restoring checks and balances.

(c) Sky News 2026: Poland's president turns back from Senegal trip as court chief's ousting sparks crisis