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Polish court adds to confusion over appointment of judges

Demonstrators cheer before the Constitutional Tribunal building after the special court partly approved a move concerning its composition made by the previous ruling liberal Civic Platform party, in Warsaw, Poland on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. In an escalating political row between the new ruling Law and Justice party and the Civic Platform, both parties seem to have bent the law while trying to appoint judges to the special court. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Demonstrators cheer before the Constitutional Tribunal building after the special court partly approved a move concerning its composition made by the previous ruling liberal Civic Platform party, in Warsaw, Poland on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. In an escalating political row between the new ruling Law and Justice party and the Civic Platform, both parties seem to have bent the law while trying to appoint judges to the special court. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

By Associated Press 2 min read

WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled Thursday that three out of five judges appointed to the court by the previous, liberal ruling party were legally nominated, throwing into chaos the new conservative ruling party’s attempts to replace them with its own choices.

The ruling came only hours after President Andrzej Duda confirmed four new judges for the country’s special court. He was to confirm a fifth next week.

The issue has led to an escalating political dispute, with the Law and Justice party, in power since last month, and the previously ruling Civic Platform accusing each other of acting illegally. Duda also won the presidency on a Law and Justice ticket, giving the party wide power.

The court itself said Thursday that the selection of three among the five judges appointed by Civic Platform before it left office was done in line with the constitution, meaning they can’t be replaced with those appointed on Wednesday.

However, it said the appointment of the other two to the 15-member court was unconstitutional.