Poland's Constitutional Tribunal declares coup as leadership is changed

Poland's Constitutional Tribunal has declared a coup after police helped remove its chairman Bogdan Święczkowski and deputy Bartłomiej Sochański, both appointed under 'Law and Justice' (PiS). Leadership has been taken over by judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, close to Donald Tusk. Tusk called the move a 'restoration of the rule of law,' as his government does not recognize rulings from the tribunal due to judges from the PiS era. In turn, those judges do not recognize new appointments made in 2026 by the Sejm, where Tusk's coalition holds a majority. PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński called the events a coup and urged President Karol Nawrocki to intervene. Nawrocki, who does not recognize the new judges and previously refused to administer Korwin-Piotrowska’s oath, has cut short his visit to Senegal and is returning to Poland.