Brussels confirms Sejm's right to appoint judges to Poland's Constitutional Tribunal

Brussels' position on the court's composition

The European Commission stated that it is closely monitoring the escalation of tensions surrounding Poland's Constitutional Tribunal. The conflict arose against the backdrop of the appointment of new members of the court. In Brussels, it was emphasised that the selection of judges is a constitutional prerogative of the Polish parliament, but the authorities are obliged to guarantee the proper functioning of the institution.

Commenting on the situation, a European Commission spokesperson stated:

«Польська влада повинна забезпечити, щоб Конституційний суд міг функціонувати відповідно до Конституції Польщі та з дотриманням відповідної судової практики Суду Європейського Союзу. Призначення восьми нових членів Конституційного суду належить до конституційних повноважень Сейму, парламенту Польщі» (The Polish authorities must ensure that the Constitutional Tribunal can function in accordance with the Constitution of Poland and in compliance with the relevant case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. The appointment of eight new members of the Constitutional Tribunal falls within the constitutional powers of the Sejm, the Polish parliament).

Reference to the ECHR ruling

The comment also mentioned the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights dated 5 May 2026. This document prohibits Polish authorities from obstructing the assumption of office and the performance of duties by judges elected by the Sejm in March 2026.

Reaction from political forces

On Saturday, the co-chairs of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group expressed condemnation of the Polish government's actions and supported President Karol Nawrocki. ECR co-chair Nicola Procaccini characterised the Donald Tusk cabinet's actions as a serious violation of the rule of law.

«Дії уряду Туска становлять явне та серйозне порушення верховенства права. Ми засуджуємо цей напад на незалежність судової влади та конституційні гарантії Польщі. Жоден уряд не стоїть понад законом» (The actions of the Tusk government constitute a clear and serious violation of the rule of law. We condemn this attack on the independence of the judiciary and Poland's constitutional guarantees. No government stands above the law), he said.

Historical context of the dispute

The debate over the legitimacy of the Constitutional Tribunal in Poland has been ongoing for over a decade. It began in 2015 due to a dispute between the then-ruling Civic Platform party and the opposition Law and Justice party over the appointment of five judges. Subsequently, this conflict evolved into a broader political and legal discussion concerning the independence of the judicial branch, the composition of the Constitutional Tribunal, and the legal force of its rulings.