On 1 April, President Karol Nawrocki swore in two judges elected by parliament but refused to administer the oath to four others. In response, on 9 April, Parliament hosted a controversial ceremony to swear in the remaining judges, effectively bypassing the president’s role in the formal appointment process. Since late 2025, vacancies on the court have reduced its staffing below the legally required quorum, after one judge’s term expired and another retired. Parliament elected these six new judges in March 2026 in an attempt to restore the court’s functioning. The President and the TK Chief Justice have rejected the parliamentary ceremony as invalid. The dispute threatens to call into question the validity of future rulings and deepens the legal uncertainty around the court. The European Court of Human Rights issued interim measures in May requiring that the four judges be allowed to take up their duties. In parallel, the TK is reviewing the constitutionality of their appointment.

Sources: ConstitutionNet, Notes from Poland (1), Notes from Poland (2), Notes from Poland (3), Notes from Poland (4), European Court of Human Rights 

On 4 September, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that decisions by Poland’s Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs, created by the former Law and Justice (PiS) government, must be treated as null and void. This allows domestic courts to disregard cases referred back by the chamber, meaning the lower court’s original judgment stands. The CJEU had already found that the chamber lacked independence due to flawed appointments in 2023. While the CJEU ruling reinforces standards for judicial independence, it creates temporary legal uncertainty about appeal pathways and institutional responsibilities, and risks creating gaps in judicial oversight and election certification. The judgment gives a firmer legal foundation to  the government’s stance that rulings of the chamber that do not meet EU law standards should be disregarded. Plans to abolish the chamber were included as part of the 2024 Ministry of Justice action plan to restore judicial independence. 

Sources: Verfassungsblog (1), Verfassungsblog (2), CURIA, Notes from Poland, Polish Government 

On 17 July, the District Court in Pszczyna convicted three doctors of endangering a patient’s life after a pregnant woman died in hospital under their care in 2021. The case represents one of the first convictions of a medical professional in connection to the denial of abortion access since a 2020 Constitutional Court ruling made abortions due to birth defects illegal. The doctors had delayed the needed interventions after the woman suffered a premature membrane rupture, deciding to wait until the fetus—which had abnormalities—died. Local NGO FEDERA noted that doctors may be hesitant to provide abortion care due to fears of being prosecuted. The incident sparked nationwide protests against Poland’s restrictive abortion laws. All three doctors received professional bans ranging between four and six years; two received prison sentences between 15 and 18 months and the third received a suspended sentence. The verdict can be appealed.

Sources: Notes from Poland (1), Notes from Poland (2), BBC, FEDERA, Human Rights Watch, PAP

On 1 June, Karol Nawrocki, an independent candidate supported by the Law and Justice party (PiS) narrowly won the second round of Poland’s presidential election with 50.9 per cent of the vote. Rafał Trzaskowski, member of the incumbent Civic Platform party and mayor of Warsaw, received 49.1 per cent of the vote. The National Electoral Commission reported voter turnout of 71.6 per cent, up from 68.2 per cent turnout in the 2020 presidential election. Voter turnout in the first round of the election held on 18 May was 67.3 per cent. There were 13 presidential candidates in the first round, including 2 women and 11 men. Observers considered the election competitive and well managed, while noting a polarized media environment limiting voters’ access to impartial information.

Sources: Al Jazeera, National Electoral Commission Poland, International IDEA, Organzation for Security and Co-operation in Europe