The day after the presidential election, you could hear announcements from the government camp that its national-Catholic revolution will be completed. In the first wave, there will be a reckoning with the free media, and the courts will have their final takeover. The government could also take control of schools and universities

Independence of the judiciary and the rule of law have been almost completely absent from the presidential campaign in Poland. But the result of the elections will fundamentally affect these areas. We discuss two scenarios: if the incumbent president Andrzej Duda wins, and if his challenger Rafał Trzaskowski wins.

Concerted effort of the CJEU and the ECtHR may result in the hindering of some of the negative effects of changes in the judiciary. So far it has been the CJEU that has been active, with the courageous involvement of national judges and civil society – writes prof. Adam Bodnar, the Commissioner for Human Rights

This is not the first time that we have escaped from the bounds of the Constitution simply to avoid implementing functions of the state that have been established by the nation – warns prof. Mirosław Wyrzykowski

“I appeal to you and members of the Polish Government to refrain from statements that are factually incorrect or diverge from legal fact when assessing the activities of the European Union,” writes Adam Bodnar, Poland’s Commissioner for Human Rights (CHR), in a letter to PM Mateusz Morawiecki

Jarosław Kaczyński wants to organize the presidential elections in Poland in May at all costs. Law and Justice deputies have just submitted a bill to allow all Poles to vote by post. If local governments refuse to cooperate, will the army and the police help to organize elections?

 At the beginning of April, the CJEU will consider the European Commission’s request to suspend the Polish Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Chamber. The Grand Chamber is aware of and concerned about the situation of judges subjected to harassment via disciplinary proceedings, as well as the threats of even harsher repressions in the “Muzzle Law.” In addition, the CJEU will respond to a number of preliminary questions submitted by Polish courts.

The Court of Justice of the EU found inadmissible referrals for preliminary rulings submitted by judges Igor Tuleya and Ewa Maciejewska for formal reasons. However, it did emphasize in its ruling that disciplinary repression cannot be applied against judges of national courts in the EU for submitting questions to the CJEU. The Court will shortly assess the model of disciplinary liability for judges in Poland in an infringement proceedings case initiated by the European Commission.

Authorities want to waive judge Igor Tuleya’s immunity and press criminal charges against him. He would be the first judge to be punished under the infamous muzzle law passed despite domestic and international outcry. Now academics in Poland salute brave judge and express their solidarity with his firm stance in defense of rule of law in Poland

“Can a judge support his own candidacy for the National Council of the Judiciary, as Nawacki did? I don’t think so. After all, a candidate is on such a list because he agreed to run. So he is to perform two roles (active and passive) simultaneously? And defects concerning one candidate makes the whole list null and void,” says Ewa Łętowska