Four judges nominated by the Civic Coalition are awaiting their swearing-in ceremony after only two were invited by the President on Wednesday.
Constitutional Tribunal Nominees Await Swearing-In
Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, Krystian Markiewicz, Maciej Taborowski, and Marcin Dziurda, nominated by the Civic Coalition to the Constitutional Tribunal, are awaiting their oath of office.
On Wednesday, President Andrzej Duda invited only Dariusz Szostek and Magdalena Bentkowska to the swearing-in ceremony.
Letter to the President
Krystian Markiewicz sent a letter to the President on Wednesday requesting a date for his swearing-in, following the oaths taken by Szostek and Bentkowska. He stated that this would fulfill the requirement for a fully staffed Constitutional Tribunal.
“Same Selection Process”
Markiewicz emphasized in his letter that he was selected through the same process as the judges who took their oath on Wednesday and wishes to begin fulfilling his duties as a Constitutional Tribunal judge as soon as possible.
He confirmed that the other three nominees who have not yet been sworn in have sent similar letters to the President.
Reasons for Partial Swearing-In
Zbigniew Bogucki, head of the KPRP, explained that during President Duda’s term, two vacancies arose in the Constitutional Tribunal. He also stated that swearing in two judges fulfills the requirement for a full composition of the Tribunal – 11 judges.
Bogucki added that the situation of the remaining four nominees is being analyzed by the President’s Chancellery, and no decision has been made yet.
Judges’ Perspectives
Magdalena Bentkowska stated after her swearing-in that she was not informed whether the remaining four nominees would also be sworn in. She stressed that all judges were properly elected and should have the opportunity to take the oath, and there is no justification for differentiating between them.
Dariusz Szostek noted that the Constitution stipulates that the Constitutional Tribunal should have 15 judges and expressed hope that the President would also accept the oaths of the remaining nominees, who were selected by the Sejm in mid-March.
Selection Process and Vacancies
In March, the Sejm elected six individuals to the Constitutional Tribunal: Bentkowska and Szostek, as well as Krystian Markiewicz, Maciej Taborowski, Marcin Dziurda, and Anna Korwin-Piotrowska.
When the Sejm made the selections, there were six vacancies, leaving the Tribunal with nine judges out of a possible 15. After the swearing-in of Bentkowska and Szostek, the Tribunal will have 11 judges. However, the current government does not recognize Justyn Piskorski and Jarosław Wyrembak as legitimate judges, as reflected in a recent Sejm resolution.
