The Sejm elected 15 judges to the National Council of the Judiciary on Friday, with 235 votes in favor, while the Law and Justice (PiS) party boycotted the process, citing illegal proceedings.
The Vote and the Boycott
The Sejm voted to appoint 15 judges to the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS) on Friday. The list of candidates received 235 votes in favor, with 18 votes against and 155 abstentions.
Before the vote, MP Michał Wójcik challenged Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty, questioning whether the Sejm had received a Constitutional Tribunal order. The Tribunal had previously issued an injunction calling for a halt to the KRS election process.
Explaining the party’s stance, Wójcik declared that the PiS parliamentary club would not participate in the vote, labeling the actions illegal and warning of potential criminal consequences. He also accused the ruling coalition of hypocrisy, noting they are using the same legal framework they previously criticized.
Constitutional Tribunal Injunction
On Tuesday, the Constitutional Tribunal issued an injunction ordering the Sejm to suspend the election of KRS judges. The decision followed a request filed by PiS MPs in February. Despite this, the Sejm proceeded with the vote during Friday’s session.
List of Elected Judges
The finalized list of candidates, which was voted on as a single package, includes Karolina Bąk-Lasota, Wojciech Buchajczuk, Monika Sonia Frąckowiak, Edyta Jefimko, Magdalena Kierszka, Agnieszka Kobylinska-Bortkiewicz, Jarosław Adam Łuczaj, Ewa Mierzejewska, Łukasz Piebiak, Bartłomiej Starosta, Aleksandra Wrzesińska-Nowacka, Łukasz Zawadzki, Dariusz Zawistowski, Katarzyna Anna Zawiślak, and Ewa Żołnierczuk-Dec.
Selection Process and Candidates
Parliamentary clubs submitted 17 candidates from a pool of 60 registered judges. The ruling coalition proposed 15 individuals previously evaluated by regional judge assemblies, supported by groups such as Iustitia and Themis.
Sławomir Cilulko and Beata Donhoffner-Grodzicka were excluded from the final list after PiS and the Confederation party submitted their own candidates. PiS nominated Łukasz Piebiak, a former deputy minister of justice, while the Confederation nominated Łukasz Zawadzki. The Sejm does not allow for voting on individual candidates, requiring a vote on the entire list.
