Showdown Grips Poland as Party Leader Calls for New Constitution

Poland’s ruling party isn’t backing down from a standoff with critics at home and abroad.

In a speech on the eve of the 225th celebration of Poland’s first written constitution, Law & Justice leader and co-founder Jaroslaw Kaczynski dug in over the party’s conflict with the Constitutional Tribunal, saying it won’t accept a court that’s putting itself “above the law.” As Poland prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of its modern constitution next year, it’s an opportunity to start work on replacing the charter and hold a referendum on a new draft, he said in Warsaw on Monday.