Poland enters political crisis over constitutional court standoff

On Friday, October 30, 2026, Polish President Karol Nawrocki abruptly canceled an official trip to Senegal, ordering his aircraft to return to Warsaw following a dramatic escalation in the country's political crisis. The tension erupted when police forces entered the premises of the Constitutional Court and suspended its leadership, including President Bogdan Swienczkowski. The opposition has characterized these actions as an attempted coup, while Prime Minister Donald Tusk framed the move as a necessary step toward restoring the rule of law after years of alleged illegalities under the previous PiS administration.

By the early hours of Saturday, October 31, the situation intensified further when President Nawrocki, accompanied by Supreme Court Chief Zbigniew Kapinski, personally arrived at the police-blockaded Constitutional Court building. Reports indicate that the arrival led to physical confrontations at the entrance, resulting in three arrests. This standoff represents the boiling point of a long-standing power struggle between the center-left government and the nationalist right concerning judicial oversight. The institution remains the focal point of the ongoing institutional deadlock as both sides continue to trade accusations regarding the legitimacy of the judicial process.