Angry protests as government ousts Poland’s senior judges

Anti-government protesters rallied in front of the Polish supreme court yesterday in an act of solidarity with the court’s president, who is being forced to retire under a new judicial overhaul.

The demonstrators accused the Right-wing government of violating the country’s own constitution by forcing the retirement of Małgorzata Gersdorf, the first president, and other justices.

Having already taken control of lower courts, the ruling Right-wing Law and Justice party has now seized control of the supreme court, the final appeals court, and the body that authorises election results.

A new law, which took effect on Tuesday, cut the retirement age from 70 to 65 for supreme court justices. As a result, the chief justice and as many as a third of the court’s 73 sitting judges are being forced to step down.

Ms Gersdorf still turned up for work yesterday, insisting that her six-year term ran to the end of 2020. Arriving at the court building to applause, the 65-year-old thanked the crowd and said she was acting to protect Poland’s constitution and the rule of law.

“I want to show that the constitution and the violation of the constitution are two different things,” he told the crowd. “I still hope that the legal order will be restored in Poland.”

EU officials and human rights groups have expressed alarm at the changes, alleging the moves represented an erosion of judicial independence.

Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister, yesterday defended his policies under tough questioning from European Parliament lawmakers. “Judges are more independent now than they were in the past,” he said.