Polish President Karol Nawrocki swore in two of six judges elected by Parliament to the Constitutional Tribunal, prompting criticism from coalition partners.
Poland 2050 Reacts to Nawrocki’s Decision
Szymon Hołownia, founder of Poland 2050, stated that the six judges selected by the Sejm should all be sworn in, emphasizing their independence from political considerations. He added that if the president refuses to swear in the remaining four, he should be held accountable and the consequences rectified.
Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, the current chair of Poland 2050, accused the President of attempting to divide the coalition by swearing in only two judges nominated by PSL and Poland 2050.
Civic Coalition Strongly Criticizes the President
Roman Giertych, a Civic Coalition MP, claimed that Karol Nawrocki violated the Constitution by selectively swearing in the judges, asserting the Sejm’s exclusive authority in the matter. He suggested a National Assembly vote to address the situation.
Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, another Civic Coalition MP, criticized the move as an attempt to gain relevance following controversial visits to Budapest and the US, stating the President is obligated to swear in all elected judges.
Presidential Justification and Support
Michał Gramatyka, Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs, argued that by swearing in the two judges legally elected by the Sejm, the President implicitly confirms the legality of the election of the remaining four, hoping their swearing-in is merely a matter of time.
Parliament’s Selection of Constitutional Tribunal Judges
On March 13th, the Sejm elected six new judges to the Constitutional Tribunal: Krystian Markiewicz, Maciej Taborowski, Marcin Dziurda, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, Magdalena Bentkowska, and Dariusz Szostek. These candidates were nominated by the ruling coalition.
The PiS party nominated two candidates, but one did not attend the hearing before the justice committee and did not receive a positive opinion, while the other, Michał Skwarzyński, did not secure the required majority of votes.
Judges Invited to Presidential Palace
TVN Fakty reported that two Constitutional Tribunal judges, Magdalena Bentkowska (nominated by PSL) and Dariusz Szostek (nominated by Poland 2050), received invitations to a swearing-in ceremony at the Presidential Palace scheduled for Wednesday.
