Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal Standoff: Live Updates

Oct. 30 · 6:42 PM ET

Nawrocki meets Supreme Court chief Kapiński

Presidential spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz published a photo of Nawrocki meeting Supreme Court First President Zbigniew Kapiński at the Presidential Palace, Rzeczpospolita reported. The president’s office had announced a joint meeting with Kapiński and Święczkowski earlier in the evening. No statement on the outcome had been released as of this update.

Oct. 30 · 6:22–6:26 PM ET

Truss, Farage and Wilders criticize Tusk’s government

Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss wrote on X of a “shocking attack on democracy in Poland,” and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the situation “very serious,” Rzeczpospolita reported. Dutch Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders wrote that Tusk was “behaving like a Nazi,” the paper reported. Separately, Left Together’s Adrian Zandberg told Polsat News the deadlock should not be resolved “via the Poniatowski Bridge, as in May 1926,” referring to the 1926 coup.

Oct. 30 · 6:06 PM ET

U.S. ambassador calls the events “very serious”

U.S. Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose wrote on X that the events at the tribunal “are very serious indeed” and that “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 that a confrontation was the last thing Poland needed, that it was not for the United States to judge or interfere in Poland’s internal affairs, and that America stands with Poland, according to Rzeczpospolita.

Oct. 30 · 6:08 PM ET

Archbishop asks Catholics to pray for Poland

Warsaw Archbishop Adrian Galbas, in a statement shared by the Archdiocese of Warsaw, asked believers to pray “for the homeland,” for social peace, and for those in power to be granted “prudence and humility,” according to Wirtualna Polska.

Oct. 30 · Logged 6:20 PM ET

Korwin-Piotrowska offers to host talks with Nawrocki inside the tribunal

Speaking to TVN from inside the building, Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska said she would invite the president for talks if his security service judged entry safe for him, the protesters and the judges, and said the judges would stay “as long as the situation requires,” Wirtualna Polska reported. Earlier she told PAP she would not allow anyone to drive onto the grounds and could meet the president at his palace, Euronews reported.

Oct. 30 · 5:00 PM ET

Święczkowski goes to the Presidential Palace

Between 10 and 11 p.m. Warsaw time (5-6 p.m. ET), Święczkowski went to the Presidential Palace to meet Nawrocki, who had landed at Warsaw’s Okęcie airport shortly before 10 p.m. local time, Rzeczpospolita reported. Wirtualna Polska said a special meeting was under way at the palace.

Oct. 30 · 4:00 PM ET

Gate chain cut; Święczkowski stands at police cordon

Around 9 p.m. Warsaw time, the chain on the tribunal’s gate was cut with a circular saw and Święczkowski walked onto the grounds, then stood in front of a police cordon holding his ID and asked to be let in, Rzeczpospolita reported. The crowd chanted “Let the president in!” He left the grounds before 10 p.m. and said all “legally elected” judges would come to the tribunal on Saturday. Konfederacja co-leader Sławomir Mentzen was heard shouting “Topple Tusk” outside, Wirtualna Polska reported.

Oct. 30 · 1:42 PM ET

Prosecutor general files five immunity requests

Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek wrote on X that he sent the tribunal five requests to lift immunity, four of them for Święczkowski and one for Vice President Bartłomiej Sochański, totaling 224 pages with 50 volumes of case files, Rzeczpospolita and Euronews reported.

Oct. 30 · 1:25 PM ET

Tribunal’s X account calls it a “coup”

The tribunal’s official X account, controlled by Święczkowski’s camp, said its website had been “unlawfully taken over,” that Święczkowski remained president and that those involved were committing the crime of a coup d’état, Rzeczpospolita reported. Judge Marcin Dziurda, one of the newer judges, denied that account.

Oct. 30 · 1:12 PM ET

Nawrocki turns his plane around

President Karol Nawrocki wrote on X: “At a moment like this, the President must be in Poland. I am interrupting my flight to Senegal. I am returning,” according to Polityka and Rzeczpospolita.

Oct. 30 · 1:00 PM ET

Tribunal’s leaders suspended for a month; police deploy

Shortly after 6 p.m. Warsaw time, the tribunal’s website posted orders from Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska suspending President Bogdan Święczkowski and Vice President Sochański for one month under Article 130 of the law on common courts, Rzeczpospolita reported. Police arrived at the building in the Szucha Avenue complex between 5 and 6 p.m. local time after letters from Żurek and Korwin-Piotrowska warning of risks to judges and staff. Warsaw police said officers were only on the outer grounds and the public avenue, not inside the building, and that dangerous objects were thrown at officers. Three people who entered the fenced grounds were detained, Wirtualna Polska reported.