Poland's Constitutional Tribunal crisis explained: a decade-long dispute over legitimacy of the justice

After taking office in 2023, Donald Tusk's coalition moved to reverse judicial reforms introduced by PiS.

The dispute entered a new phase in 2026, when President Karol Nawrocki refused to accept the oaths of several judges elected by parliament.

The standoff reached boiling point on Friday outside of the Constitutional Tribunal's headquarters, with both sides disputing the other's legitimacy.