Poland's parliament elects KRS members amid constitutional court dispute

On 15 May the Polish Sejm voted to appoint 15 judges to the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), achieving the required qualified majority after Law and Justice (PiS) MPs abstained. The Constitutional Court issued a safeguard under article 11 d (6) warning that the election should be halted if the first‑round vote failed, but the court’s warning did not apply because the election was completed in the first round under article 11 d (5). The move sparked criticism from Sejm Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty, who questioned the court’s credibility. Dariusz Zawistowski, commenting on the process, argued that the Sejm followed the law, that the safeguard has no legal effect, and noted concerns about the court’s composition and the recent resignation of former KRS chair Dagmara Pawełczyk‑Woicka. The episode highlights ongoing tension between Poland’s legislative and judicial branches over the country’s judicial reform agenda.