Polish President Blocks Judge Appointments, Halting Court Reforms

Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki has said he will not nominate or promote any judges who question the status of colleagues appointed under the previous government’s judicial overhaul. His decision has already stalled 46 appointments submitted by the current administration.

Nawrocki stated that judges who challenge the “constitutional and legal order” cannot expect advancement. His stance deepens the long-running dispute between so-called “neo-judges,” appointed after the 2018 reforms under the Law and Justice (PiS) government, and “paleo-judges” who argue those reforms compromised judicial independence.

The pro-EU government led by Donald Tusk says the president is using his constitutional powers to hold up the justice ministry’s efforts to restore court independence.

• Poland President Blocks Judge Appointments, Intensifying Judicial Standoff
• Nawrocki Halts 46 Nominations as Dispute Over ‘Neo-Judges’ Deepens
• Tusk Government Faces Fresh Obstacle in Push to Restore Court Independence

Government spokesperson Adam Szłapka warned that blocking judges for questioning the status of others undermines the principle of impartial review.

The justice ministry plans to publish the list of halted nominations and may consider a legal challenge to the president’s interpretation of his powers. Officials argue that scrutinizing the legitimacy of appointments is necessary to resolve doubts tied to the reforms.

Roughly 2,500 judges were affected by the previous system, leaving uncertainty around their rulings and the broader stability of Poland’s judiciary. Nawrocki’s resistance is now slowing the government’s push to rebuild trust in the courts.

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The standoff marks a significant obstacle for Tusk’s reform agenda and signals continued friction between the presidency and the government over the direction of Poland’s judicial system.