Poland top court rejects government reforms
Poland’s top court has rejected a set of reforms approved by the government on court rulings and its judges, triggering a constitutional crisis in the eastern European country.
On Wednesday, the court dismissed as unconstitutional legislative amendments approved by the government in December 2015, saying they would undermine the tribunal's ability to dispense justice.
The Polish government has declared it will not recognize the Constitutional Court’s decision.
The reforms would increase the number of judges needed for a ruling and change the order in which cases are heard.
The reforms also stipulate that rulings need a two-thirds majority of the judges to be valid, meaning a quorum of 13 judges instead of the current nine.
“The law prevents the honest and proper functioning of the Constitutional Court, by interfering in its independence and separation from other powers, thus violating the principles of the rule of law,” said Poland’s Chief Justice Andrzej Rzeplinski.
He also said the amendments were “non-compliant with the Polish Constitution.”
The opposition, too, argues that the government’s proposed reforms weaken checks and balances, and border on the violation of institutional democracy.
“If the government doesn’t abide by the constitutional court’s ruling soon, we’re dealing the biggest crisis in the history of republic and a constitutional coup d’etat,” said Ryszard Petru, the leader of a liberal opposition party.
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