Supreme Court Defies Polish Government in Battle Over Judiciary
- Tribunal halts judge dismissals, government rejects ruling
- Poland’s rule-of-law row shifts to European Court of Justice
Photographer: Getty Images
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The battle for control over Poland’s judiciary intensified as the Supreme Court ruled to suspend a law that would force out two-fifths of its justices and asked the European Union’s top tribunal to decide if the measure adheres to the bloc’s rules.
The decision by a seven-member Supreme Court panel escalates the struggle for control over the judiciary in the ex-communist country of 38 million people, where the ruling Law & Justice party has clashed with the EU by pushing through sweeping measures that give politicians more control over courts. It also has implications for other countries in the 28-member trading bloc, which is wrestling with how to handle members that are challenging its democratic standards.