Dagmara Pawełczyk-Woicka has stepped down as Chair of the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS) effective May 15, 2025, citing a failure to respect the Constitutional Tribunal’s protective injunction.
The resignation and the injunction
Outgoing KRS Chair Dagmara Pawełczyk-Woicka announced her resignation on Monday, effective May 15, 2025. She stated that the decision was driven by the Sejm’s disregard for a protective order issued by the Constitutional Tribunal.
The dispute concerns a May 12 injunction where the Constitutional Tribunal ordered the Sejm to refrain from electing new judicial members to the KRS until a final ruling is delivered. Despite this, the Sejm proceeded with the election of 15 judges to the Council on May 15.
Call for new leadership
Pawełczyk-Woicka has called on First President of the Supreme Court Małgorzata Manowska to convene a plenary session to elect a new chairperson. She emphasized that, in light of the Tribunal’s ruling, the KRS should have been convened in its previous composition.
The ongoing dispute over the judiciary
The KRS consists of 25 members, including 15 judges elected by the Sejm. The core of the controversy remains these 15 seats, which determine the Council’s independence from political influence. The dispute dates back to 2017, when the United Right coalition shifted the power to elect judicial members from the judiciary to the Sejm.
The current government attempted to revert to the pre-2017 system, but the bill was vetoed by President Karol Nawrocki. Consequently, the government implemented a “Plan B,” utilizing judicial primary elections to vet candidates. The opposition has labeled this procedure illegal.