Constitutional Tribunal faces budget crisis and political standoff

A significant political and financial dispute has emerged regarding the budget of Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal for 2027. The Ministry of Finance omitted the Tribunal's projected expenditures from the draft budget, stating that the financial plan submitted by the institution failed to meet formal requirements because it had not been officially adopted via a resolution by the Tribunal's General Assembly.

Constitutional Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski has resisted pressure to convene a General Assembly that includes all seven judges elected by the current Sejm, arguing that only those who have taken an oath before President Karol Nawrocki are permitted to participate. This standoff threatens to paralyze the institution's operations and impact the salaries of both active and retired judges, including Krystyna Pawłowicz.

The situation is framed as a strategic maneuver by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's administration. The upcoming vote in the Sejm on Maciej Berek’s candidacy for a judgeship is seen as a move to secure a working majority within the Tribunal, potentially shifting its operational balance and reducing the influence of presidential vetoes.