---
title: "Navrocki Calls Nighttime Events at Constitutional Tribunal a 'Violent Seizure' and Calls Emergency Consultations"
description: "Polish President Karol Navrocki called the nighttime events at the Constitutional Tribunal a violent seizure and called emergency consultations with parliament. Tusk's government claims it is restoring legality."
date: 2026-10-31T05:40:23.320Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/navrocki-calls-constitutional-tribunal-seizure
tags: [poland, karol-navrocki, constitutional-tribunal, donald-tusk, politics]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Navrocki Calls Nighttime Events at Constitutional Tribunal a 'Violent Seizure' and Calls Emergency Consultations

![Polish President Karol Navrocki delivering an emotional speech against the background of the national flag](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/31/navrocki-silovoy-zahvat-konstitucionnogo-tribunala/navrocki-silovoy-zahvat-konstitucionnogo-tribunala-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Polish President Karol Navrocki called the nighttime events around the Constitutional Tribunal a 'violent seizure' of a constitutional body and demanded the withdrawal of security forces.
- Navrocki called emergency consultations with parliamentary parties for October 31 to stabilize the situation and restore constitutional order.
- Donald Tusk's government, conversely, declares the 'restoration of legality': Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek reported that the building is now occupied by judges.
- The root of the conflict is two camps of tribunal judges: those appointed under PiS and those elected by the current Sejm, whom the president refused to swear in.
- The ability of Tusk's government to implement reforms depends on control over the tribunal, as the court reviews laws for constitutionality.

Polish President Karol Navrocki stated that on the night of October 31 in Warsaw, there was a "violation of public order of the Republic of Poland and a violent seizure of a constitutional state body." According to him, this refers to the Constitutional Tribunal, the building of which, he claims, was blocked by security forces sent by the government. Navrocki demanded the restoration of law and order and the withdrawal of security personnel from the tribunal's territory, and also called emergency consultations for October 31 with representatives of parliamentary forces aimed at stabilizing the political situation and restoring constitutional order.

### 'Violent Seizure' Versus 'Restoration of Legality'

The characterization of the events by the parties differs fundamentally. The president and his supporters call the events a "violent seizure" and a "coup d'état": the head of the tribunal, Bogdan Święczkowski, who stated he was not allowed into the building, characterized what was happening precisely as a coup. The government, conversely, uses the phrasing of "restoring legality." Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek stated that the president and his entourage had left the building, which is now occupied by judges, and that the situation is stabilizing; he called Navrocki's behavior "scandalous" and expressed hope that the prosecutor's office would respond to it. Minister of Interior Marcin Kierwiński, in turn, praised the police for preventing escalation.

### Two Camps of Judges: Who Is Legitimate

The core of the conflict rests on the fact that Poland has effectively developed two camps of judges in the Constitutional Tribunal, each of which considers the other illegitimate. The majority of current judges were appointed during the tenure of the Law and Justice (PiS) party. Donald Tusk's government, which came to power in late 2023, believes that PiS turned the tribunal into a politically dependent body and appointed some judges with violations, therefore not recognizing the tribunal's decisions and gradually changing its composition. The current Sejm elected new judges, but President Navrocki, supported by PiS, refused to swear in three of the six elected, and tribunal head Święczkowski barred them from work. It was the judges of the new composition who, on the evening of October 30, suspended Święczkowski and his deputy, after which the court building was blocked by police.

### Reactions of Participants and Figures of the Night

Navrocki announced that he held consultations with First President of the Supreme Court Zbigniew Kapiński, who, according to the president, also considers illegal the actions of individuals "usurping power" in the tribunal. The president also stated that he helped deputy tribunal head Bartłomiej Sochański, whom he considers legitimate, enter the building. Following the president's statement, Sochański left his office: he said he was informed that the president was no longer in the building and called it deception. PiS deputies claim that the head of the Presidential Chancellery, Zbigniew Bogucki, who according to their data entered the building together with Navrocki, may be detained inside.

### Stakes: Whoever Controls the Tribunal Influences Reforms

Whether Donald Tusk's government can implement its reforms depends on who controls the Constitutional Tribunal: it is this court that decides whether adopted laws comply with the constitution. At night, Navrocki, by his own account, forced his way to the court building, near which clashes between protesters and police continued. Thus, the nighttime events turned into an open institutional crisis in which the president, government, judges, and parliamentary forces hold mutually exclusive positions, and the resolution of the conflict has been postponed to emergency consultations on October 31.

## Accounts differ

### Characterization of nighttime events around the Constitutional Tribunal

- **Polish President Karol Navrocki:** At night there was a violation of public order and a violent seizure of a constitutional body; security forces were sent there by the government ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/prezident-polshchi-zayaviv-silove-zahoplennya-1793424938.html))
- **Tribunal Head Bogdan Święczkowski:** What is happening is a 'coup d'état' ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/prezident-polshchi-zayaviv-silove-zahoplennya-1793424938.html))
- **Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek (government):** The president and his entourage left the building, which is now occupied by judges; the situation is stabilizing, the president's behavior is 'scandalous' ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/prezident-polshchi-zayaviv-silove-zahoplennya-1793424938.html))
- **Donald Tusk's Government:** The events are the restoration of legality ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/prezident-polshchi-zayaviv-silove-zahoplennya-1793424938.html))

*Where they agree:* On the night of October 30–31 near the Constitutional Tribunal building in Warsaw, a clash involving security forces occurred; this is confirmed by both the president and the government.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Президент Польши заявил о силовом захвате трибунала и созвал консультации](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/prezident-polshchi-zayaviv-silove-zahoplennya-1793424938.html) - Primary source: Navrocki's statement, consultations for October 31, positions of Święczkowski, Sochański, Żurek, Kierwiński, PiS; context of two camps of judges.
- [Президент Польши заявил о силовом захвате Конституционного суда страны](https://media.az/world/prezident-polshi-zayavil-o-silovom-zahvate-konstitucionnogo-suda-strany) - Confirms Navrocki's statement about the violent seizure of the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw.
- [Навроцкий созвал срочное совещание с участием всех политических сил Польши](https://life.ru/p/navrotskiy-sozval-srochnoe-soveschanie-s-uchastiem-vseh-politicheskih-sil-polshi) - Confirms Navrocki's accusation of a violent seizure, consultations with Kapiński, and the demand to withdraw security forces (according to Onet).
- [Президент Польши обвинил правительство в силовом захвате Конституционного трибунала](https://news.am/ru/news/1071571) - Confirms Navrocki's accusation against Tusk's government and the announcement of emergency consultations.

## FAQ

### What did Polish President Karol Navrocki state about the nighttime events?

Navrocki stated that at night there was a violation of public order and a 'violent seizure of a constitutional body' — the Constitutional Tribunal. He demanded the removal of security forces from the building's territory and called emergency consultations with parliamentary parties for October 31.

### How does the Polish government characterize the same events?

The government uses the phrasing of 'restoring legality.' Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek stated that the president and his entourage left the building, which is now occupied by judges, and that the situation is stabilizing.

### What is the core of the dispute over the legitimacy of the tribunal's judges?

Poland effectively has two camps of judges: the majority of current ones were appointed under the Law and Justice party, while the current Sejm elected new judges. President Navrocki refused to swear in three of the six new ones, and the tribunal head barred them from work; judges of the new composition suspended the tribunal head and his deputy.

### Why is control over the tribunal important for reforms?

The Constitutional Tribunal decides whether laws comply with the constitution, so who manages it determines whether Donald Tusk's government can carry out its reforms.