Poland | President signs contested constitutional court law

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda yesterday approved controversial legislation that regulates the Constitutional Tribunal, the nation’s highest court, and appealed for “truth” in debates that are also heard abroad.
Some European Union leaders have expressed alarm at the fast-paced legislative changes taken by the new conservative government. The opposition, which now controls the court, claims that Poland’s democracy is threatened because the court will lose its power to check the government’s actions.
Duda said he believes the legislation will enhance the court’s position and authority as it requires a greater number of judges than before to agree on verdicts and a larger majority for key issues. He stressed the legislation will help the government push ahead with promised reforms of higher tax exemptions, bonuses for large families and lower retirement age.
“A higher majority guarantees that these lawyers reach agreement to a higher degree,” Duda said in a statement at the Presidential Palace.
Anticipating new argument, he appealed for “truth and no manipulation” in the debate because “words said here are also heard abroad.”
“We should remember that every word is heard not only in Poland, but because Poland is one of the largest EU countries, the words uttered here are also heard abroad,” Duda said.
“’So I ask for truth and no manipulation, I ask for facts to be presented the way they are, also the facts that have legal value.” AP