Bogdan Święczkowski Appointed Head of Polish Constitutional Tribunal

The news in Polish

1. przewodniczący (m.)
   osoba kierująca zespołem, radą lub zebraniem ↩︎
2. trybunał (m.)
   organ władzy sądowniczej odpowiedzialny za orzekanie o zgodności prawa z konstytucją ↩︎
3. podkreślać
   zwracać uwagę na coś jako ważne albo wymowne ↩︎
4. napięcie (n.)
   stan wzmożonego stresu, konfliktu lub niepewności ↩︎
5. praworządność (f.)
   przestrzeganie prawa oraz zasad demokratycznych przez organy państwowe ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: Who appointed Bogdan Święczkowski as the head of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal?

Question: What happened to the previous head of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
przewodniczący (m.)	chairman
trybunał (m.)	tribunal
podkreślać	emphasise
napięcie (n.)	tension
rezygnować	resign
praworządność (f.)	rule of law

Read the full story

The president highlighted Święczkowski’s capability in decision-making, a trait he deemed essential during “times of political upheaval and battles over constitutionality and the rule of law.” Duda expressed confidence in Święczkowski’s qualifications, acknowledging his past roles which include senior positions in Poland’s prosecutorial and security services, such as leading the Internal Security Agency and serving as a deputy minister of justice.

Julia Przyłębska resigned from her position at the end of November, shortly before her judicial term concluded. The resignation brought about a need for a prompt replacement, leading to Święczkowski’s nomination among two candidates presented to the president by the tribunal’s general assembly of judges, the other being Bartłomiej Sochański.

Święczkowski’s appointment has stirred political responses, with the former president Przyłębska reportedly supporting Sochański for the role. Analysts perceive this move as a shift in internal power dynamics within the tribunal, emphasizing Święczkowski’s strong political ties with the ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS), and key figures such as Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro.

The Tribunal’s current composition has faced criticism due to perceived biases and concerns about the legitimacy of its judgments. The Polish parliament recently passed a resolution addressing the constitutional crisis from 2015 to 2023, noting that outcomes from the Tribunal perceived as legally flawed may breach principles of legality. Since the resolution’s passage, the Tribunal’s rulings have not been published in the official journal, reflecting ongoing turmoil in its operations.

Experts and critics continue to question the legal framework and the process of nominating judges to the tribunal, with doubts about the legitimacy of current tribunal members, sometimes referred to as “judge-doubles.” As the Tribunal stands in a state of transition, the future of its operational and legal standing remains a topic of significant concern within Poland and among international observers.

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