World Tagesschau
Poland: Tusk complains about attack on “democracy and the rule of law”
Poland's president physically forces his way into the Constitutional Court and pushes a judge down. Now Prime Minister Tusk comments on the incident. He launches an attack on the opposition
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Tusk complains about attack on democracy: constitutional state or the “law of the jungle”? As of: November 1, 2026 • 5:26 a.m
Poland's president physically forces his way into the Constitutional Court and pushes a judge down. Now Prime Minister Tusk comments on the incident. He accuses the opposition of an attack on democracy and the rule of law.
In the power struggle over Poland's Constitutional Court, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has accused the national conservative opposition PiS of an attack on democracy and the rule of law. “Let’s call a spade a spade,” said Tusk. "For years there have been organizations and politicians in Poland who want to destroy democracy and the rule of law."
In the tussle over the Constitutional Court, the country's two major political camps are irreconcilably opposed: on the one hand, Tusk's pro-European citizens' coalition and its allies, on the other hand, the right-wing conservative opposition party PiS and President Karol Nawrocki, who is close to it.
In Poland, the government and the right-wing conservative opposition accuse each other of endangering the judiciary. more
The rule of law differs "from the law of the jungle in that muscle and impudence do not decide who is right," said Tusk in a televised speech.
Tusk was referring to the President's visit to the Constitutional Court, which was surrounded by demonstrators, on Saturday night. In a video published by a constitutional judge on social media, the former amateur boxer Nawrocki could be seen forcing his way into the courthouse with robust physical exertion. He also pushed a judge down.
Power struggle for Poland's Constitutional Court Palina Milling, ARD Warsaw, tagesthemen, Das Erste, October 31, 2026 • 11:20 p.m. Tusk: Politicians are not allowed to give instructions to the court Tusk continued: "In a constitutional state, a judge, even if it is a petite woman, does not back down from an aggressive thug." In a constitutional state, a politician is not allowed to enter the grounds of a court to give instructions and intimidate the judges.
The PiS, which ruled from 2015 to 2023, appointed judges who were politically close to it and disregarded previous appointments. The European Court of Human Rights classified this approach as unlawful in 2021. Since taking office in 2023, Tusk has been trying to reverse the controversial appointments. However, Nawrocki - whose election in 2025 the PiS made a significant contribution - is blocking the swearing in of new judges.
This topic in the program: tagesschau24 | News | October 31, 2026 | 1:00 p.m. Das Erste | daily topics | October 31, 2026 | 11:20 p.m.ARD information night | News | 11/01/2026 | 2:30am