Poland faces a serious dispute over its Constitutional Tribunal, but claims of a coup remain political allegations

Poland is facing a serious political and judicial crisis after senior judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska took over the leadership of the Constitutional Tribunal and suspended its president, Bogdan Święczkowski. The move triggered protests, a police response and the return of President Karol Nawrocki from a trip to Africa.

According to 24sata, supporters of the opposition Law and Justice party gathered outside the court. Three people were detained after attempting to force their way into the building. Police entered the Tribunal's premises following incidents outside, including objects being thrown at officers, according to a police statement reported by net.hr.

President Nawrocki accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government of forcibly taking control of a constitutional institution. N1 and tportal report that Tusk rejects this interpretation, saying his government is trying to restore the rule of law and reform the court. The dispute has deep roots, dating back to 2015, and centres on judicial appointments and disagreements over the legitimacy of decisions made by opposing political camps.

It is important to distinguish political accusations from established facts. The term 'coup', used in the 24sata headline and by the president and his allies, has not been established as an accurate description of these events. What reports do confirm is a serious institutional conflict, a disputed change in the court's leadership, protests and police intervention.

According to 24sata, US Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose called on both sides to calm tensions and warned against further confrontation. The situation is serious, but the available reports do not provide grounds for presenting the political accusations as proof of a coup.