Political crisis in Poland as Constitutional Court faces police blockade

Poland is currently gripped by a major political crisis following the suspension of the leadership of the Constitutional Court. On October 30, 2026, Polish President Karol Nawrocki abruptly cut short his diplomatic trip to Senegal and returned to Warsaw after the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk deployed police forces to secure the court's headquarters. The suspension of the court's president, Bogdan Swienczkowski, and his deputy, Bartlomiej Sochanski, prompted the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party to label the intervention as a coup d'état.

Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek announced he has requested the lifting of parliamentary immunity for both judicial officials to facilitate criminal investigations. Tensions escalated on the night of October 30 into the early hours of October 31, as protestors clashed with riot police outside the facility, resulting in three arrests. President Nawrocki, accompanied by Supreme Court head Zbigniew Kapinski, gained entry to the court building amidst chaotic scenes. The ongoing confrontation highlights deep structural divisions between the current center-left administration and the nationalist opposition regarding judicial independence and legal reforms in the country.