Tusk defends Poland's tribunal intervention; Ziobro calls it an attack on the state
Korwin-Piotrowska, claiming authority as the longest-serving judge, orders a one-month interruption of Bogdan Święczkowski's duties at Poland's Constitutional Tribunal. He calls it unlawful. Tusk defends decisive action to restore the rule of law; Ziobro calls the events an attack on the state.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
In an order dated October 30, 2026, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, saying she stands in for the president of Poland's Constitutional Tribunal as its judge with the longest service, ordered an immediate one-month interruption of Bogdan Święczkowski's duties as a judge, including his performance of the president's duties. The order says a disciplinary court must then either suspend him or revoke the interruption. It does not claim to remove him from office. It lists Korwin-Piotrowska among five people the Sejm elected to the tribunal in 2026 whom, it says, Święczkowski has not allowed to hear cases, and alleges that he blocked the tribunal's 2027 budget proposal.
Święczkowski calls the action unlawful. The tribunal's X account says he remains president and that Korwin-Piotrowska is not a tribunal judge. PAP reports that neither President Karol Nawrocki nor Święczkowski recognizes the oaths the five took in the Sejm. Police secured the tribunal grounds as protesters gathered. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said restoring the rule of law requires decisive action. Former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro called the events an attack on the state and blamed Tusk. The competing accounts concern who may direct the tribunal, whether the five are its judges and whether the intervention is lawful.
Read the full background
The order rests on two legal claims, and both are disputed. First, it says Korwin-Piotrowska may act for the president under Article 12(4) of the act on the tribunal's organization. That provision makes the judge described in Article 11(2), the one with the longest combined service, stand in for the president when the vice president or another judge cannot be authorized. The order argues that a president cannot authorize action against himself. It counts her service from September 1, 1995, which it gives as the start of her judicial training, and argues that Judge Wojciech Sych's Supreme Court service does not count toward his.
Second, it cites Article 130(1) of the law on common courts, which it says applies to tribunal judges through provisions that extend Supreme Court and common court rules to matters the tribunal statutes do not regulate. In its text, Article 130 lets a court president or the justice minister order an interruption of up to one month, and Article 130(2) gives that decision to the minister when the judge concerned is a court president. The order argues that the lack of anyone above the tribunal's president cannot shield him from the measure, acknowledges that the statutes do not say who may act against him, and calls the need to restore the tribunal's functioning a state of constitutional necessity. The order is an administrative act by Korwin-Piotrowska, not a court ruling.
The tribunal X account's description of a coup and Ziobro's claim that Tusk ordered an attack are their own allegations.
People in this case
- Donald TuskDirectly involved
Timeline
2 timeline entries on this page. Dates: October 30, 2026
October 2026
Korwin-Piotrowska orders a one-month interruption of Święczkowski's duties
In an order dated October 30, Korwin-Piotrowska, saying she stands in for the tribunal president as the judge with the longest service, orders an immediate one-month interruption of Święczkowski's duties as a judge, including his performance of the president's duties. The order says a disciplinary court will decide whether to suspend him or revoke the interruption, and that she directs the tribunal until the interruption is revoked or any suspension ends. Notice of the order appears on the tribunal's website at about 6 p.m. The tribunal's X account calls that an unlawful takeover of the website and says Święczkowski remains president.
[01]Anna Korwin-Piotrowska's order interrupting Bogdan Święczkowski's duties, dated October 30, 2026
Scan of the signed six-page order, dated October 30, 2026, as posted at 6:22 p.m. Warsaw time that day by the Polish legal website Monitor Konstytucyjny, together with two explanatory notes. It is not an official gazette or court record. PAP reported that notice of the order appeared on the Constitutional Tribunal's website at about 6 p.m. the same day; the tribunal's X account called that posting an unlawful takeover of the website. We could not open the tribunal-hosted copy to compare it with this scan. The order states its author's claimed authority and grounds; both are disputed.
Anna Korwin-Piotrowska's order interrupting Bogdan Święczkowski's duties, dated October 30, 2026Six-page order, operative paragraph on page 1 and reasons on pages 2-6[02]PAP: Korwin-Piotrowska says she directs the Constitutional Tribunal; Święczkowski calls it an unlawful takeover
Polish Press Agency summary of the October 30 events at the Constitutional Tribunal, published by Portal Samorządowy. It reports that notice of the order appeared on the tribunal's website at about 6 p.m., quotes the tribunal's X account saying the website was taken over unlawfully and that Korwin-Piotrowska is not a tribunal judge, and reports that neither President Karol Nawrocki nor Święczkowski recognizes the oaths the five judges took in the Sejm.
PAP: Korwin-Piotrowska says she directs the Constitutional Tribunal; Święczkowski calls it an unlawful takeoverParagraphs on the notice on the tribunal's website, the tribunal's X account, the police account, Tusk's post and the oath disputePolice secure the tribunal as protesters gather
Incident
Police say they secured the tribunal grounds and detained three people who forced their way onto them. Protesters, including opposition leaders, gather outside. Święczkowski joins them and tries to enter but is not let in. Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek and Korwin-Piotrowska say police did not enter the building itself.
[03]Associated Press
AP distinguishes police actions from contested political and constitutional descriptions.
Police secure Poland's Constitutional Tribunal as protests erupt over court chief's suspension · Associated PressPolice account, suspension announcement and Tusk and Ziobro responses[02]PAP: Korwin-Piotrowska says she directs the Constitutional Tribunal; Święczkowski calls it an unlawful takeover
Polish Press Agency summary of the October 30 events at the Constitutional Tribunal, published by Portal Samorządowy. It reports that notice of the order appeared on the tribunal's website at about 6 p.m., quotes the tribunal's X account saying the website was taken over unlawfully and that Korwin-Piotrowska is not a tribunal judge, and reports that neither President Karol Nawrocki nor Święczkowski recognizes the oaths the five judges took in the Sejm.
PAP: Korwin-Piotrowska says she directs the Constitutional Tribunal; Święczkowski calls it an unlawful takeoverParagraphs on the notice on the tribunal's website, the tribunal's X account, the police account, Tusk's post and the oath dispute
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 responses. Newest first.
Zbigniew ZiobroFormer Polish justice minister and member of the SejmDirectly involved Before this statement
Ziobro's post opens by saying Tusk ordered an attack on the Constitutional Tribunal and that people he calls Tusk's usurpers jostled President Karol Nawrocki in a doorway.
"This is an attack on the state and physical aggression against the head of state. (Translated from Polish. Original: To zamach na państwo i fizyczna agresja wobec Głowy Państwa.)"
CondemnedCase context: Tusk defends Poland's tribunal intervention; Ziobro calls it an attack on the state
Full statement and sources
Ziobro calls the events at the tribunal an attack on the state and physical aggression against the president, and blames Tusk.
After the statement
His post says Tusk will answer for what happened. The allegations are his own.
Post by Zbigniew Ziobro on X, October 31, 2026 UTC · Zbigniew ZiobroOriginal Polish post, 02:08 UTC on October 31, 22:08 Eastern on October 30Why this label?
Relative to the tribunal intervention, Ziobro expressly calls it an assault and blames Tusk.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Donald TuskPrime minister of PolandDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Tusk posts this on X at 7:39 p.m. Warsaw time on October 30, after notice of Korwin-Piotrowska's order appears on the tribunal's website at about 6 p.m.
"Restoring the rule of law is our duty. After years of PiS lawlessness, this is a difficult, sometimes painful process, and it requires decisive action. There is no other way. (Translated from Polish. Original: Przywracanie rządów prawa jest naszym obowiązkiem. Po latach pisowskiego bezprawia to proces trudny, czasem bolesny i wymaga zdecydowanego działania. Innej drogi nie ma.)"
Defended or excusedCase context: Tusk defends Poland's tribunal intervention; Ziobro calls it an attack on the state
Full statement and sources
Tusk posts that restoring the rule of law after the PiS years demands firm action. PAP reports the post among reactions to the tribunal intervention.
After the statement
PAP reports the post alongside the day's events at the tribunal. The post itself speaks only of restoring the rule of law.
Post by Donald Tusk on X, October 30, 2026 · Donald TuskOriginal Polish post, 18:39 UTCPAP: Korwin-Piotrowska says she directs the Constitutional Tribunal; Święczkowski calls it an unlawful takeoverParagraphs on the notice on the tribunal's website, the tribunal's X account, the police account, Tusk's post and the oath disputeWhy this label?
Relative to the tribunal intervention, which PAP reports alongside this post, Tusk calls restoring the rule of law a duty that requires decisive action and says there is no other way.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(5)
Original text
Anna Korwin-Piotrowska's order interrupting Bogdan Święczkowski's duties, dated October 30, 2026
Relevant passage: Six-page order, operative paragraph on page 1 and reasons on pages 2-6
About this source
Scan of the signed six-page order, dated October 30, 2026, as posted at 6:22 p.m. Warsaw time that day by the Polish legal website Monitor Konstytucyjny, together with two explanatory notes. It is not an official gazette or court record. PAP reported that notice of the order appeared on the Constitutional Tribunal's website at about 6 p.m. the same day; the tribunal's X account called that posting an unlawful takeover of the website. We could not open the tribunal-hosted copy to compare it with this scan. The order states its author's claimed authority and grounds; both are disputed.
- Author
- Anna Korwin-Piotrowska
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
PAP: Korwin-Piotrowska says she directs the Constitutional Tribunal; Święczkowski calls it an unlawful takeover
Relevant passage: Paragraphs on the notice on the tribunal's website, the tribunal's X account, the police account, Tusk's post and the oath dispute
About this source
Polish Press Agency summary of the October 30 events at the Constitutional Tribunal, published by Portal Samorządowy. It reports that notice of the order appeared on the tribunal's website at about 6 p.m., quotes the tribunal's X account saying the website was taken over unlawfully and that Korwin-Piotrowska is not a tribunal judge, and reports that neither President Karol Nawrocki nor Święczkowski recognizes the oaths the five judges took in the Sejm.
- Author
- PAP
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Post by Zbigniew Ziobro on X, October 31, 2026 UTC
About this source
Ziobro alleges an assault on the state. His allegation that Tusk ordered the attack is attributed to him rather than adopted as fact.
- Author
- Zbigniew Ziobro
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Post by Donald Tusk on X, October 30, 2026
About this source
Tusk's post on restoring the rule of law, published in Polish on the evening notice of the order appeared. Statements quoting it give an English translation followed by the original.
- Author
- Donald Tusk
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Police secure Poland's Constitutional Tribunal as protests erupt over court chief's suspension
Relevant passage: Police account, suspension announcement and Tusk and Ziobro responses
About this source
AP distinguishes police actions from contested political and constitutional descriptions.
- Author
- Claudia Ciobanu, Associated Press
- Published
- Accessed
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Tusk defends Poland's tribunal intervention; Ziobro calls it an attack on the state
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/poland-constitutional-tribunal-intervention-tusk-ziobro
The Dispute Index. "Tusk defends Poland's tribunal intervention; Ziobro calls it an attack on the state". First published: 2026-11-01. Last updated: 2026-11-01. https://disputeindex.com/cases/poland-constitutional-tribunal-intervention-tusk-ziobro