Poland's Constitutional Tribunal faces leadership deadlock over quorum

President Karol Nawrocki is set to receive the oath of newly elected Constitutional Tribunal judge Sławomir Patyra, filling the vacancy left by Andrzej Zielonacki. The appointment follows a dispute in which the president has refused to accept the oaths of four judges elected by the governing coalition, arguing they were not sworn in before him.

Tribunal President Bogdan Święczkowski, who supports the president’s stance, barred those judges from participating in tribunal work. On 24 June 2026 he convened a General Assembly of the Tribunal, but the meeting was aborted after he announced a lack of quorum. He cited that judges Magdalena Bentkowska and Dariusz Szostek, despite being present, had not signed the attendance list. Both judges later said they intended to sign later and did not refuse participation. Święczkowski left the hall, stating “Brak kworum” (no quorum), and only two other judges followed him out.

The impasse raises questions about the legality of the disputed judges, threatens the Tribunal’s ability to approve its 2027 budget, and highlights a broader power struggle between the presidency and the judiciary over the rule‑making process.