New Polish president aims to work on new constitution
During his initial address, Poland's President Karol Nawrocki emphasised the need for a new constitution, which he anticipated would be completed by 2030.
Nawrocki, who was sworn in on Wednesday morning, claimed that nearly 30 years after adopting the current constitution, the country operates in a new social and geopolitical context.
"Recently, the Polish constitution has been violated so regularly that we, as the political class, must begin working on solutions for a new constitution, which I hope and believe will be ready in 2030," he said.
The president also announced the creation of a council for the reform of the state system at the Presidential Palace.
He further declared to restore what he considers the rule of law in Poland. He said he would not promote or nominate judges who, in his opinion, undermine the country's constitutional and legal order.
The ongoing dispute between the previously ruling, socially-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, which supported Nawrocki in his presidential campaign, and Donald Tusk's pro-EU government centres around the rule-of-law standards.
The government is working to restore these standards following years of judicial overhaul by the PiS administration. During its tenure from 2015 to 2023, PiS restructured key judicial institutions, including the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS). However, these changes drew criticism from EU institutions, legal scholars, and NGOs who argued they undermined judicial independence. The reforms prompted the European Commission to launch infringement proceedings and freeze billions of euros in EU funds, which were only released after the new government proposed a plan for restoring the rule of law.(PAP)
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