Poland to Face EU Fines as Bloc Steps Up Rule-of-Law Fight

  • European Commission asks EU top court to levy fine on Poland
  • Poland was given Aug. 16 deadline to halt controversial regime

Demonstrators hold a banner reading "This is not a Constitutional Court" during a protest outside the constitutional court in Warsaw, on Aug. 31.

Photographer: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/Getty Images

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Poland faces European Union fines for failing to meet an EU ultimatum to halt a controversial regime to discipline judges, further escalating a clash over the rule of law in the bloc’s biggest eastern member.

The European Commission will ask the EU Court of Justice for financial penalties against Poland for ignoring a binding court order in July to “immediately suspend” its judicial discipline system, seen by critics as a way to silence judges who don’t support nation’s ruling Law and Justice party.